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Sol 2-0 on Road
Trip to San Diego
Remains Tied for
1st Place in NPSL West
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Sol players take a corner kick in San
Diego |
May 31, 2005 Sonoma County Sol improved its
record to 6-2-1 in NPSL League (10-2-1 overall) by defeating the San Diego
Pumitas in two games played in San Diego this past weekend. The pair of
wins means that Sol and Salinas Samba (who scored twin victories of their
own), remain tied for the lead in the NPSL with 19 points.
Both games were played under a cool marine layer of fog at Balboa Stadium,
which is on the approach for San Diego’s busy Lindberg Field Airport.
Friday Night Game
Sol had a reduced squad on both nights. Several Sonoma State players
were not available due to Friday finals. In addition,
Michael Briceno and
Adrian Zavalla were not allowed to participate due to infractions in prior
games. A league minimum 14 players suited up for the Friday night game and
provided a significant challenge for the Sol midfielders.
Nonetheless, early in the game, some
great combination play resulted in a goal for Sol on a header scored by Tony Bussard. The second goal was scored on an unfortunate miscommunication
between a Pumitas Defender and his goal keeper under pressure from
Miguel Santoyo and the Sol offense. The defender heading the ball into his own net
for the own goal.
The defense absorbed all that San
Diego had to throw at them. While the defense allowed very few quality
shots on goal, goalie
Eric Kronberg was busy cleaning up thru balls and
grabbing the high ones. The combination was effective in preserving the shut
out and the win.
Saturday Night Game
In the second game on Saturday, San Diego seemed determined to avenge
the loss suffered the prior evening, coming out aggressively against Sol’s
defense. Nonetheless, the outstanding combination of Browne to Bussard to
Briceno resulted in a beautiful right footed goal in the 7th
minute for the game’s initial score. Shortly thereafter, San Diego answered
when a rare Sol defensive miscue resulted in the defenders bunching around
the ball in front of the Sol net. The Pumitas player was able to pass off
the ball to their striker who tied up the score after a one on one with goal
keeper Eric Kronberg who went to the ground in a vain attempt to make the
save.
Sol scored three more goals
including two world class goals by
Steven Browne and
David Briceno. Browne’s
goal came off a corner, when he hit the ball with a volley shot to the lower
right corner of the net. Briceno scored his second of the evening with a
magnificent shot set up by a pass from Andres Flores. Briceno faked to the
right and then uncorked a hard left footed shot that drew raves from the
crowd.
The final goal scored in the game
came when Miguel Santoyo inadvertently handled the ball in the penalty area
drawing the penalty kick which was converted by a San Diego player. The
result-a 4-2 victory for Sol.
Kronberg had several routine saves
and one parry of a hard clear shot coming from his right just before the end
of the game.
San Diego’s aggressive play resulted
in several yellow cards and the send off of one of their players late in the
game. Sol midfielder
Chris Daly was required to sit the game as he
accumulated four yellow cards in previous games. The versatile
Andres Flores
did a great job of filling in at the defensive midfielder position.
League Co Leader Samba Comes to
Town Friday
Co League leader Salinas Samba also scored two wins this weekend, defeating
the Sacramento Knights and the Chico Rooks on successive nights. Sol and
Samba remain tied in points.
This sets up this Friday’s game
against Samba at Ernie Nevers Field at Santa Rosa High School. This could be
the best, and perhaps most important, League game played this year in Santa
Rosa, so we encourage Sol fans to come out for what should prove to be a
soccer treat.
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