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closeVikings upend Jaguars in SPSL matchup
Emerald Ridge fails to overcome two goal deficit
Shaun Scott
The Emerald Ridge Jaguars boys soccer team just ran out of time against the Curtis Vikings.
Things were looking bleak for the Jaguars after Curtis Vikings forwards Bryan Prosser, 18th minute, and Sergio Mattola, 61st minute, scored one goal apiece, giving the Vikings a 2-0 lead with 19 minutes remaining in regulation.
Emerald Ridge refused to go away quietly. Sophomore Angel Ventura found the back of the net, cutting the Vikings’ lead to 2-1 with 15 minutes left in the game.
Ventura’s boot from 40 yards away from the goal was one of the prettiest shots Emerald Ridge coach David Rosdahl said he’s ever seen.
“It was one of those unbelievable shots,” Rosdahl said. “It was just out of their keeper’s reach and hit the side of the net up high over his head. That gave us some momentum.”
The final 15 minutes of the contest saw both teams experience an ample amount of opportunities to put the ball in the back of the net.
“We probably had two or three really good opportunities to tie it up at the end of the game. We had decent shots on goal,” Rosdahl said. “It was the most exciting part of the game. It was back and forth in the final minutes. We had our chances and they had their chances.”
Unfortunately the Jaguars (3-2-1 overall record) didn’t capitalize on those opportunities, resulting in a 2-1 defeat on April 2 at Curtis High School in University Place.
Even in defeat, Emerald Ridge goalie Kevin Weeks tallied 11 saves between the posts.
“All year and tonight he’s been the player that has kept us in games.” Rosdahl said. “He had a couple of stops tonight where shots were coming right at him from five or six yards away. Kevin is having another great year for us. He’s one of the best goalies in the SPSL.”
On the other hand, Rosdahl said, his team still needs improvement from its players in the defensive backfield.
“Our defensive third did a poor job of marking Curtis’s offensive players,” Rosdahl said. “We didn’t keep enough pressure on them. It wasn’t anything they did, we just had poor defensive marking and had some breakdowns.”