SOCCER (M)

9/23/09 - Royals Even With Panthers

Fullerton, CA- On a hot Wednesday afternoon, Hope International and Chapman played to 1-1 double overtime tie with their stats as close as the score.  Freshman Edgar Bran scored the Royals’ lone goal in the second half to force the tie.

Aside from an early corner kick for the Panthers (5-1-2), the Royals (5-1-2) controlled the first 20 -25 minutes of the match as evident by their three shots including one each by defenders Adrian La Farge and Jake Shook.  However, none of the shots were on target and the Royals came up empty.

In the 29th minute, the Panthers were still looking for their first shot as they started to turn the offensive tide in their favor.  Alex Sewitz dribbled the ball down the right side to the end line and sent in a cross that found Jeff Shah.  Shah controlled it and found the left side of the net to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the game.

Both teams fired off a handful of shots but neither team put one on goal the remainder of the first half.

More than twenty minutes into the second half, the Royals had fired off 10 shots for the game but none on frame.  In the 68th minute, Sophomore Jesus Ramos dribbled to the end line and hit a laser cross to the near post.  With little time to react, Bran flicked the cross with his head into the top of the net just inside the post.  Bran’s 11th goal of the season tied the score at 1-1.

Ten minutes later, the Royals had their best chance to break the tie when Ramos hit a hard shot inside the box. Panther’s goalkeeper Tyler Hadzinsky made the save yet left a rebound.  Freshman Matt Howard’s sliding attempt at a shot went just high.

In the first overtime, Shah found himself behind the Royals’ defense with Royals’ goalkeeper Matt Fike bearing down.  Shah unloaded a shot that deflected off Fike’s body but Sewitz’s follow up sailed wide.

A couple of minutes later Ramos rung a shot off the crossbar for the Royals that deflected out of play.

By the second overtime, both teams were so worn down by the heat that the game basically became a goalie and defensive line kick ball game on both sides.  Both keepers were forced to make routine saves on hard shots from outside the box to keep the game knotted at 1-1.

The box score at the end of the day was about as equal as one can be.  The Royals outshot the Panthers 17-14 but both teams only put three on goal.  Both keepers made two saves.  The Royals had the edge on corners 6-3 with the Panthers drawing three more fouls (15-12).  Even the offsides were equal at two a piece.

For the Royals, they now turn their attention to Golden State Athletic Conference play.  They open GSAC play on the road at Fresno Pacific this Saturday on the back end of a double header with the women’s team.  The men are scheduled to kick-off at 7:00 pm.

>> Back to Men's Soccer Home Page