Spring Creek escapes Rosewood, 5-4, on soccer pitch

By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on October 10, 2012 1:48 PM

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- The streak is alive and well.

Bryan Soto made sure of it.

Soto scored the game-winning goal in the 73rd minute and Spring Creek slipped past Carolina 1-A Conference foe Rosewood 5-4 on Tuesday evening. The Gators improved to a phenomenal 35-0-3 in league play since 2007.

The Eagles went right at Spring Creek early on as Rosewood's midfield fed passes to its forwards. Marquail Almontser's header off Thanh Truong's corner kick gave Rosewood a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.

The Gators (9-1-3 overall, 4-0-0 CC) responded three minutes later as Ivan Lemus' shot deflected off the hand of Rosewood keeper Daniel Herring and into the goal.

The Eagles (10-5-0, 3-1-0 CC) continued to pressure Spring Creek's defense and Truong scored off Jyonte Raynor's assist in the 14th minute. Rosewood's lead grew to 3-1 in the 23rd minute as Raynor collected a rebound off Truong's free kick and deposited it in the back of the net.

"In the first half we were the better team and in the second half I think they outplayed us," Eagles' head coach Eddie Maldonado said. "We can't score four in the first half, and not score another one but give up two in the second half."

Brayan Lopez won a loose ball near the 18-yard box and fired a shot past Herring to pull Spring Creek to within 3-2 in the 27th minute. The two teams traded possession until Raynor scored on Truong's assist in the 32nd minute.

Lopez cut the deficit to 4-3 just before halftime by scoring on a rebound off a shot by Otto Binar.

"At halftime our coach told us no matter how bad you are losing we have to keep shooting shot after shot after shot," Soto said. "He told us we would get the goals because we are talented and we've got the skills to do it."

The Gators dominated the possession for large stretches of the second half and benefited by pushing more players forward. Lemus tied the game at 4-4 on David Vega's assist in the 54th minute.

Rosewood appeared to have scored in the 58th minute, but none of the three referees indicated a goal had been scored and play continued. Thanh Truong's shot off Sy Truong's assist missed just wide by inches in the 71st minute.

Soto was in the right place at the right time in the 73rd minute to settle a rebound off a shot by Binar and shoot it past Herring to put Spring Creek in front for good at 5-4.

"I was following Otto," Soto said. "I never thought the ball was going to come to me but I pushed it in and we got the winning goal. We are good in these situations because we're family and we were all born into this game."

The Eagles visit Goldsboro today, while Spring Creek plays host to the Cougars on Monday.