Spring Creek-Union soccer
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 2, 2010 1:46 PM
SEVEN SPRINGS -- Luck isn't always stumbled upon, it's often created.
Spring Creek used relentless offensive pressure to create two moments of fortune and rallied for a 3-1, non-conference win over Union on Wednesday afternoon.
The Gators struggled to connect passes from the midfield to their forwards throughout the first half. Passes from midfielders were sent sailing long into the waiting arms of Spartans' goalkeeper Guillermo Fernandez.
Spring Creek was caught offsides four times in the opening 40 minutes.
"One thing I told our guys was stop trying to lob it over," said Gators head coach Paul Estrada. "In the first half, their keeper was just gobbling up everything. He's fast and he's a big guy. Once we played the ball on the ground down the sides or through the middle we were good."
The Gators controlled possession and pressured the Union defense after halftime.
Spring Creek trailed 1-0 in the 54th minute when the Spartans were whistled for a handball inside the 18-yard box. Dante Ortiz beat Fernandez to tie the game at 1-1.
The Gators caught another break 10 minutes later when Ortiz's shot clanged off the post, and bounced off Fernandez's leg into the goal.
Ortiz scored his third goal of the game in the 73rd minute when he lobbed a shot over Fernandez's head. Spring Creek held a 10-3 advantage in shots on goal in the second half. Ortiz has scored four goals in the past two games.
"I think right now we're having a hard time deciding where everybody is playing," said Estrada. "Putting Dante up front is probably going to be the key to our success. That way the team gets involved and that showed in the second half."
Chayanne Lopez's goal off a rebound in the 43rd minute gave Union a 1-0 lead.
The Gators (1-1-1 overall) visit James Kenan on Tuesday.