Carson gets back to .500 with win over Douglas

MINDEN – Carson and Douglas boys soccer played to a near draw in the opening half before the Senators pulled away with a 3-0 win Saturday afternoon.

The Senators opened up the scoring in the final minute of the half when Ariel Vega Alvarez got just enough of his foot on a ball to get it through the Douglas defense and into the back of the net.

After 30 minutes of scoreless soccer in the second half it was once against Vega Alvarez who put the ball in the net in the 70th minute.

"We needed to connect the passes," said Carson head coach Francisco Martinez.

Yahir Mata added the final goal, an emphatic flying volley off a corner kick that Mata booted straight into the back netting.

"It was beautiful. When we practice corners that's how we are used to finishing," said Martinez. "It was a beautiful cross and he came from behind and nailed it."

"We got scored on and we hung our head," said Douglas head coach Marko Zivkovic.

Douglas had a few shots on goal and a couple free kicks in the opening half.

Jordan Watts had the Tigers' first shot on goal in the ninth minute before using his head to pass the ball to Alfredo Tortoledo Serrano attempted a shot on goal in the 11th minute.

The Tigers put a free kick on goal in the 28th minute, which popped loose in the box, but Carson escaped unharmed.

Arguably Douglas' best chance came in the 35th minute when a cross into the box needed to be saved by a diving Leonardo Barajas Mejorado in the Senator net.

Carson keeps rolling

While the rest of the Sierra League will go next week without playing games, Carson will look to extend its three-game winning streak with non-league contests against North Tahoe and Reed at home.

In league play, Carson (3-2) sits behind Galena and Bishop Manogue, but has a comfortable two-win advantage over the rest of the teams in the Sierra League.

The Senators will play in their final five league contests, starting Oct. 16 with Galena at home.

"We're very skilled, but sometimes we rush too much," said Martinez. "When we connect and play not as rushed, we will be fine."

Tigers enter break

Douglas will enjoy its week without any scheduled contests and enters its final five games of the season with a 1-3-1 record in league play.

The Tigers will kick off the second stretch versus league opponents Oct. 16 at Wooster. The two tied in their first meeting, 3-3.

"We're trying to connect up top. It's been tough scoring," said Zivkovic. "That's what we are going to be working on."

Carson and Douglas close out the regular season against each other Oct. 30 in Carson.