Knights advance to championship game of Tyler Duncan Memorial Tournament
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UPPER LAKE >> After the two teams battled to a 0-0 tie in regulation, the Kelseyville Knights won a 4-2 shootout with the Lower Lake Trojans on Thursday night in the semifinals of the Tyler Duncan Memorial Tournament at Upper Lake High School.
While the game is officially a tie for record purposes, the Knights (3-1-1) will advance to the Tyler Duncan championship game Saturday against either Fort Bragg or McKinleyville at 4:30 p.m. in Upper Lake. Lower Lake (2-0-2) will play for third place.
Kelseyville captured the shootout by making its first four shots – Jair Inostroza Carrillo, Omar Mercado Marquez, Gerardo Garcia and Angel Bernal all connected.
“The game was really well played,” Kelseyville head coach Kc White said of a matchup between two of the three teams that tied for last year’s North Central League I championship (Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Fort Bragg were tri-champs). “Neither team really had any good chances in the first half. Near the end of the first half, Inostroza Carrillo was tackled just outside the box. The Lower Lake player was given a red card and Lower Lake was forced to play down a man.”
The one-man advantage enjoyed by the Knights led to a couple of scoring opportunities in the second half, according to White.
“Lower Lake played the second half very defensive to keep us from scoring,” White said. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t find the back of the net.”
Knights keeper Cesar Silva stopped a Lower Lake shot to clinch the 4-2 shootout win for Kelseyville.
“We were in the same position last year and pulled off the win in seven rounds,” White said. “I just told the guys to take deep breaths before they approached the ball and to have fun. A penalty shootout doesn’t happen all that often and I told them to enjoy the moment.”
Kelseyville is appearing in the Tyler Duncan Memorial championship game for the second year in a row.
Lower Lake shootout goals weren’t reported.
In other boys soccer action Thursday:
Credo 2, Middletown 0
At Upper Lake, the Middletown Mustangs fell to Credo during play in the Tyler Duncan Memorial Tournament.
Credo scored both of its goals in the first half.
“David Reyes, our keeper, was amazing as always,” Middletown head coach Katie Robinson said. “He also came up big by holding off another penalty kick this game, making another huge save when we needed it most.”
Added Robinson, “Credo has a great shot on their first goal, and it was a legit finish. On the second goal, they caught our defense shifting too far and left the center open.”
Robinson praised the play of freshman Andres Yebra.
“He made some great runs throughout the game and created several opportunities with shots on goal, but Credo’s keeper came up with the saves to keep them out of the net,” Robinson said.
Middletown (1-2-2) plays an opponent to be determined for seventh place Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport.
