The Oxnard College men’s soccer team handed Santiago Canyon its first loss Tuesday afternoon when the Condors took care of business at home and defeated the Hawks in a 3-1 victory.
At the beginning of the first half, the game was seemingly in the Hawks’ favor as the Condors were out-maneuvered down the field. The first score came in the 23rd minute when Hawk midfielder Eric Duarte took advantage of a hole in the Oxnard defense making a quick decisive pass to forward Manuel Gonoza, who kicked the ball into the right corner of the net.
Oxnard College’s sluggish start was no surprise for head coach Ross Greaney, who had foreseen the defensive breakdown.
“We started out flat,” said Greaney. “I knew that was going to happen. We needed to play a little faster and a little harder.”
Midway through the first half, the Condors caught a bit of luck as a penalty kick was issued for a foul called near Santiago Canyon’s goal. Condor midfielder Jonathon Martinez capitalized by getting a goal off the penalty kick.
Martinez’s goal may have been the turning point for the Condors, as they effectively advancing the ball towards the Hawks’ net, keeping Hawk goal keeper Greg Griffin on his toes for the rest of the first half.
The Condors’ success in the end of the first half continued into the second. In the 55th minute, Griffin tried to catch the ball as it bounced away from him but it slipped out of his hands and landed in front of Condor forward Emigdio Ramirez, who took advantage by kicking the ball into the net to give Oxnard College a 2-1 lead.
With momentum on the Condors’ side, they looked to break the lead wide open. Just three minutes after Ramirez’s score, Condor forward Nathan Lytle outraced Hawk defenders, powering the ball behind Griffin and into the net for a 3-1 lead.
The Hawks looked for a comeback, but were overpowered by the Condors’ tenacious defense.
The Hawks did, however, come across several opportunities to score but could not capitalize.
Condor Head Coach Ross Greaney explained that the victory was not easy despite the end results.
“We gutted it out,” he said. “It was a tight physical game but we played with some strong defense.”
