SOC: Lady Riders drop 'winable' game to Diboll
After giving the three top teams in the District 35-4A race a run for their money in the first three league contests, the Center Lady Rider soccer team was looking to get into the win column in a contest that was very 'winnable'. Unfortunately, the Lady Riders didn't play as they had in the previous three contests and fell by a 2-1 count to Diboll last Friday night.
Center (6-8, 0-4 district), which dropped its fourth straight game for its longest losing skid of the season, remained in a fifth-place tie with Hudson in the race for a playoff spot. Diboll improved to 2-2 against District 35-4A competition and moved two full games head of Hudson and Center for the final playoff spot.
In other league contests on Friday, Nacogdoches (4-0 district) took over sole possession of first place in the district with a 2-1 victory over Jacksonville. The Maiden (5-7-5, 3-1 district) fell back into a tie with Palestine (12-3-1, 3-1 district) for second place in the district race. Palestine blanked Hudson, 5-0.
Center was in its contest with Diboll throughout, and actually led 1-0 with just over eight minutes remaining. But the Ladyjacks scored to even the score in the final seven minutes and then scored the winning point on a penalty kick.
"We had played so well in the last few games, but against Diboll the girls played down to our competition," Center Head Coach Jonathan Vick stated. "This game was an excellent opportunity to get a win and we had confidence going into the game because of the way we've been playing. But we just didn't get the job done when the game was on the line. It was a very hard loss to take."
Normal Ruiz scored the lone goal for Center after the teams had battled to a 0-0 tie in the first 40 minutes.
Vick credited Berenice Esparza with outstanding defensive play in the contest. But he said defense is where games such as this one are won, and his Lady Riders didn't have the 'kick' they had in the previous three league matches.
"We need to win this game," Vick explained. "I'm not saying our season is over by any means, but we needed to come out and take control of this game and we just didn't have the aggressive play that we have displayed the first district contests against much tougher competition.
"Now we have to pick ourselves up and come back strong against Hudson."
The Lady Riders' matchup with Hudson tonight (Tuesday) has been rescheduled for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. because of the impending wintry mix expected to fall in East Texas tonight. Other league matches include Jacksonville visiting Diboll and Nacogdoches hosting Palestine.