Carson boys soccer battles to tie with South Tahoe

Dan Burger's first goal of the year came at a time when Carson really needed it, and it came at the most inopportune time for South Tahoe, boys' soccer leaders of the 4A Northern Region Sierra League.

Eric Libby sent a corner kick into a mess of Viking defenders who tried clearing the ball up the middle.

Instead, they cleared it to Burger.

Burger's unassisted goal 14 minutes into the game put Carson up 1-0 over South Tahoe in a game that ended in a 1-1 tie. It also put the Vikings behind, which is somewhere they haven't been much this year.

The Vikings have won their past five games. They've only allowed three goals in the past six games, and have won their last three by shutout.

That shutout streak ended with Burger.

"All it was was just a hit out from the corner kick and I hit it in," Burger said of his first 2002 goal. "It was all I needed."

When South Tahoe's defense again tried clearing the ball to the middle 6 minutes later, Christian Losche intercepted the pass. The Senators got two hurried shots. However, Viking goalie Tobin Lindstrom made dramatic back- to-back saves to keep Carson's lead at one.

That was further fuel for South Tahoe, which at 14, leads the league in points for wins and ties.

Alex Torres, who leads the team in goals and has scored South Tahoe's first goal in the past three games -- and whose mohawk has gone from red to Viking gold -- scored on a header from Enrique Avina's corner kick in the 28th minute.

"It was good to be down a goal, you know, it made the guys have to work harder," said Viking head coach Joe Winters after the game.

But not hard enough to score anymore.

Carson played a stronger second half, outshooting South Tahoe 8-6, and with more scoring opportunities.

But they were unable to score again on Lindstrom, who made 13 total saves.

The two Sierra League powers tied 1-1 in 80 minutes of intense soccer.

"It's going to take a solid 80 minutes of play (to win)," said Senators' head coach Jim Nealis. "They have an excellent team. So do we. And this is pretty much the first game we've played all year.

"The other teams we've played, they're not the same caliber as South Lake," Nealis added. "I wish we could play them five or six times per year."

South Tahoe outplayed Carson in the first half, with 12 shots to Carson's 5, forcing Senator keeper Sean Carter to make 7 saves. He made 10 total.

The game's intensity increased in the second half.

South Tahoe's Noe Estrada and Torres received yellow cards. But South Tahoe received eight free kicks to Carson's six.

South Tahoe remains in first place in the Sierra Division at 4-0-2. Carson is next at 3-0-3.

The two teams play again Oct. 30 in Carson.

Oct. 2

Carson10--1

South Tahoe10--1

First Half

C -- Dan Burger, unassisted, 14th min.

ST -- Alex Torres, (assist Ernique Avina) 28th min

Penalties -- South Tahoe, Noe Estrada, yellow card, 64th min., Alex Torres, yellow card, 73rd min.

Records -- South Tahoe, 4-0-2 in the 4A Northern Region Sierra Division. Carson, 3-0-3 in the 4A Northern Region Sierra Division.