Carson girls soccer clinches regional title

When the whistle sounded ending the match, you would have expected the Carson High girls soccer team to be shrieking with joy.

After all, the unbeaten Senators (12-0-1) had clinched the top seed for the 4A regional playoffs by virtue of their 1-1 tie against Douglas on Saturday.

Instead, the girls quietly lined up for the traditional post-game handshake.

"I thought we had to win today," said Brenda Luquin, who scored Carson's only goal on a second-half penalty kick. "It was supposed to be a win."

It was a hard-earned point as Carson had to come back from a one-goal deficit.

"We played with heart," said Carson coach Randy Roser, whose team hosts South Tahoe on Monday night with an unbeaten season at stake. "The girls wanted to win this one.

"The girls want to go undefeated. They want to win league, zone and state. I thought we dominated in the second half."

Douglas would have loved to made its archrival have to postpone its victory party until next week, but the Tigers' offense couldn't penetrate Carson's tough defense led by Natalie Stevens in the last 35 minutes of the contest.

"I told the girls that we lost the game in the first half," Douglas coach Lorraine Fitzhugh said. "We did not get shots off. I don't think either team dominated the game.

"We were playing as individuals. We're not finding each other (on offense)."

Fitzhugh believes the chemistry issue can be solved. If not, it could lead to a short ride in the playoffs for the Tigers.

Despite having three good looks at the goal in the first half, Carson was unable to score. Ally Cowen's shot in the ninth minute was deflected over the crossbar by Douglas keeper Brianna Randall. Miriah Tompkins had two good opportunities four minutes apart but was unable to convert.

Douglas finally broke through and took a 1-0 lead on C.J. Baumgartner's header that got by Kenzie Tillitt. Douglas had only two other good looks the rest of the way.

Carson finally tied the game in the 68th minute when Luquin was tripped up in the penalty box and converted the ensuing penalty kick, tying the game at 1.

"I know beforehand what I'm going to do," Luquin said. "I try to take a quick glance before the keeper looks at me. I aim for that spot that I picked out. It's not about power, it's about placement."

Roser liked Luquin's aggressiveness on the play.

"When you get into that 18-yard area, you have to go hard at the goal," she said. "You can't take a halfway shot. They either have to give you a shot or take you down. It was a good effort by Brenda."

BOYS

DOUGLAS 2, CARSON 1

The Tigers scored two goals in a three-minute span of the second half to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Douglas is 6-5-2 going into its Tuesday game against Fallon. Carson dropped to 8-4-1. Even with a win on Tuesday against South Tahoe, the best Carson could hope for is second place.

Douglas bunched up its defense in the back throughout the match, and Carson was unable to execute well enough to bring the Tigers out of that alignment.

"It (the move) enabled me to play three in the back with two stoppers," said Milko Vasquez, Douglas head coach. "Tyler Bankofier stepped up (played real well)."

Carson had a great opportunity for the game's first goal when Ian Gunn put up a shot that went off the hands of Douglas keeper Ivan Gonzalez and off the post.

Rafael Alves gave Douglas a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute. In the 62nd minute, Edgar Arceo blasted one past Pedro Chavez to make it 2-0.

"That was a hustle play by Edgar," said Vasquez.

Carson coach Nate Brigham switched from a two-forward attack to a three-forward attack around the 50th minute, and that move helped Carson score its only goal of the match as Luis Camacho blasted one in around the 78th minute.

There was grumbling by some players about the alignment switch, but Brigham defended the move, and pointed out that it was the third forward who scored the team's only goal.

Brigham correctly pointed out that while Carson moved the ball well it hadn't been able to finish any shots.

"We had five in the back when they scored the first goal," Brigham said. " We were at a point where we were already guaranteed. The only way we had a shot at the championship is to win both."