Back and Forth Game Leaves Chargers with a Narrow Loss
Ortiz scored a goal Friday. |
November 3rd, 2006
Cypress, Calif. – The Chargers came into Friday’s game looking to avenge their earlier 2-3 loss to Riverside only to repeat the outcome the second time around. Despite scoring the first goal, the Chargers could not hold on, giving up the winning goal in the 88th minute. Freshman forward Christian Ortiz scored the first goal of the game giving the Chargers their only lead 1-0. This was Ortiz’s team leading ninth goal this season.
Cypress started the action in early with Ortiz’s goal to take the 1-0 lead. Cypress was caught on their heels though as the Tigers scored two straight to finish the first half with a 2-1 lead. The Chargers would battle back in the second half as freshman forward Pedro Ochoa converted a free kick to the corner of the goal giving Cypress a tie. The battle ensued back and forth until Riverside was able to score with time running down in the 88th minute to take the lead 3-2. Cypress would come back aggressively in stoppage time with man attempts including a Luis Macias header which barely grazed the top post just enough to knock it off its course as the Chargers’ tying goal. After stoppage time expired, the Chargers were left with their fifth straight loss. Freshman keeper Giovanni Guzman was put to work collecting six saves.
This loss drops Cypress to thirteenth in the southern region in power points just outside of the twelve teams invited to playoffs. The Chargers have two regular season games left to try to gain ground and hope teams above them slip for a chance at playoffs. Cypress heads to Fullerton next. The Hornets are 2-6 in conference coming off of a 1-2 loss to Irvine Valley. The last time these teams met, Cypress won 2-1. The teams face off again Tuesday at 3:00 pm at Fullerton.