Spring Creek shuts down Rosewood in soccer
By Andrew Stevens
Published in Sports on September 19, 2013 1:47 PM
astevens@newsargus.com
Rosewood knew prior to its game with Spring Creek on Wednesday evening that one team was going to take a step backwards in the Carolina 1-A Conference.
That team turned out to be the Eagles.
Otto Binar scored three goals and handed out two assists in the Gators' 6-0 win at Branch Pope Field. Spring Creek has lost just twice in its last 47 conference games.
"Hoping to stay in the race is the key," Rosewood head coach Eddie Maldonado said. "Maybe we put a little too much pressure on the boys. We told them that is one of us going to take a big step backwards tonight. It's only going to be two (conference) losses, but it's going to be a big step backwards."
The Gators turned early possessions into scoring opportunities.
David Vega's shot was stopped on a diving save by Eagles' keeper Daniel Herring. Marcos Castaneda scored off Binar's corner kick to put Spring Creek in front 1-0.
Rosewood couldn't convert a pair of early corner kicks. Than Truong's shot inside the 18-yard box was stopped by Gators' keeper Jose Sanchez.
Spring Creek (6-1-1 overall, 4-1-0 CC) consistently worked passes down the sidelines, which allowed its speedy forwards to run on to the ball in space. Binar scored off of Juan Vega's assist and also converted a penalty kick as the lead grew to 3-0.
Binar beat Herring off another assist from Vega late in the first half.
"Otto is by far one of the better players in the league and maybe even in the state," Gators' head coach Linda Salter said. "Sometimes our guys want to play it too him too much and they get in trouble with that, but tonight it was a little more controlled and that was good."
Castaneda found the back of the net off Juan Vega's free kick early in the second half. David Vega capped the scoring off Binar's corner kick.
The Eagles (5-3-1, 2-2-0 CC) finished with seven corner kicks, but were unable to score. Spring Creek held a 14-4 edge in shots on goal.
"When we play teams that are disciplined and well-coached we struggle," Maldonado said. "Last year we had players that had a nose for the ball and they would just go and get it. We had a corner where the ball rolled in front of the six-yard box and we just stood and watched, and the keeper scooped it up.
"Last year, we had two or three guys that would have been busting their butt to go get it."
The Gators play host to James Kenan on Monday, while Rosewood travels to Neuse Charter.