Knights beat Lower Lake 3-1, Cougars defeat Cardinals in penalty-kick shootout
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LAKE COUNTY >> In a preseason matchup of two teams that figure to contend for the North Central League I boys soccer championship in the coming month, the Kelseyville Knights beat the Lower Lake Trojans 3-1 on Tuesday afternoon in Lower Lake.
“My team came out to make a statement today and we did just that,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said. “Lower Lake is a great team, and we answered the call.”
Kelseyville (3-2), a winter soccer team the past three years, is now feeling much more at home back in the fall season, and is preparing for the upcoming NCL I race, which begins next week, with a tough non-league schedule.
“Everyone who played put their blood, sweat and tears on the field today,” White said, and the Kelseyville coach wasn’t kidding, pointing to Kelseyville player Luis Alvarado, who took a shot off the face and was left bleeding on the field. “I could not be prouder of my team after that physical game today.”
Despite getting shot after shot for most of the first half, it wasn’t until the 37th minute that the Knights found the net as Diego Rico sent a through ball to the side of the net. Jake Smart crossed it in and got a deflection off the defender to give Kelseyville a 1-0 lead.
Lower Lake (2-2) tied it just two minutes into the second half on an Edwin Castellanos goal assisted by Adrian Guzman.
“We did everything to keep the goal out, but gave it up,” White said.
Kelseyville pushed ahead to stay at the 55th minute, earning a penalty kick that Sebastian Cacho converted. Jair Inostroza Carrillo drew the penalty. He sustained an injury a few minutes later, possibly a broken wrist, according to White.
“This is a significant loss for us,” White said.
Diego Rico’s corner kick into the box found the head of Alex Jimenez in the 68th minute, Jimenez knocking the ball into the net for a 3-1 Kelseyville lead.
“That gave us some breathing room,” White said.
Several Kelseyville defenders never left the game. Smart, Gerardo Garcia, Miguel Corono and Manny Arias continued to protect the Knights’ slim lead.
“This was a grueling game,” White said. “The heat was intense, and the physicality was something new this season for us. We are battered, but we will be ready for Thursday.”
The win over Lower Lake counted as a pool game in the Tyler Duncan Memorial Tournament hosted by Upper Lake, and it also clinched a pool victory for the Knights. Tournament play continues Thursday when Kelseyville takes on Credo at 7:30 p.m. in Upper Lake.
Upper Lake 1, Clear Lake 1 (Upper Lake wins shootout)
At Upper Lake, in a game tied 1-1 at the end of regulation, the Upper Lake Cougars beat the Clear Lake Cardinals after winning the penalty-kick shootout 2-1, Jaden Nunez knocking through the game-winning shot.
Daniel Rojas scored in regulation for the Cougars (2-4).
Upper Lake keeper Alan Alvarado had four saves, two of them during the penalty-kick shootout.
“It was a crazy game, which at one point got out of control,” Upper Lake head coach Thomas Santana said. “There were a lot of yellow cards and a red to a Clear Lake player.”
Upper Lake scored the only goal of the first half. Clear Lake (1-3) rallied to tie it up early in the second half.
“It was constant action back and forth, but no scoring, which led to a penalty shootout,” Santana said.
Rojas scored on Upper Lake’s first chance in the penalty shootout, but the Cougars missed their next three shots. Clear Lake pulled even 1-1 before Nunez scored on the Cougars’ fifth penalty kick. Clear Lake’s final shot deflected off Alvarado’s fingertips and missed wide right.
Upper Lake faces Willits at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in Upper Lake as part of the Tyler Duncan Memorial Tournament.
