U14 boys kickers finish regular season with 2-0 shutout
MORGAN HILL – The Orchard Valley U14 Boys’ Class I soccer club defeated the Juventus Quake squad from Redwood City this past Saturday at the Morgan Hill Soccer Complex.
The Stingrays were up against a team they had never beaten this past weekend in what would turn out to be their last regular-season game in Abronzino League play.
Avenging a 7-0 loss in this summer’s MH/Gilroy Cup, the Stingrays dominated play and took advantage of their front-line speed to record the 2-0 shutout. Two Stingrays recorded their first points of the season, as mid-way through the first half, Blake Presar had his first assist by finding striker Gerardo Murillo open in the goal box. Murillo faked the Quake keeper to the ground, and easily put the shot into the net for the opening goal.
Playing with a lead, the Stingrays increasingly gained confidence, and their mid-fielders (Danny Nelson, Bryan Faulk, Noel Vera, Presar, and Ricardo Plata) controlled much of the action in the first half.
In the second half with still only a 1-0 lead, fullback Eric Miller made the save of the game as a shot from the Quake dribbled through keeper Kevin Grove’s hands, and was headed for the net. Miller was on top of things though, and knocked the ball away for a corner kick.
Stingrays’ Nick Rodriquez also recorded his first assist of the season as his throw-in found Plata from 25 yards out. Plata blasted a shot into the upper-left corner, and although the keeper got a hand on the shot, it still found the back of the net.
Mid-fielders Myles Downing and Brendant Palomo helped control play in the second half. Casey Mott led the Stingray defense throughout the game, and forwards Murilo Almeida and Matt Altamirano had speed that the Quake back-line could not defend.
Grove went on to make a total of 21 saves to preserve the well-deserved shutout. The win moved the Stingrays from eighth place to fourth in the final Abronzino standings.
