Well, it wasn't a loss.
After being outscored 17-1 in their first four games, the Nevada Wonders tied the Southern California Seahorses 1-1 on Saturday afternoon at Carson High. And after two 10-minute overtimes, both teams are still looking for their first wins of the season.
"We should've won it really," said coach Paul Aigbogun. "We really had some chances. But our main goal today was to stop conceding goals. We have been conceding way too many goals."
Southern California (0-1-1) opened the scoring in the 29th minute after an own goal by Nevada (0-4-1). The Wonders, who outshot the Seahorses 29-15, found the equalizer less than five minutes later when Ernest Oliden took advantage of a defensive error and buried a shot past goalie Adam Throop.
Southern California, which lost to the Fresno Fuego 4-1 last weekend, nearly scored the go-ahead goal on several occasions in the second half. In the 68th minute, Jordan Jones found himself alone in the Wonders' penalty box and drilled a low shot that was destined for the net, but Sebastian Rowe came up with a huge save. Rowe, who made 10 saves in the game, several of them high quality, helped the Wonders again in the 72nd minute when he snagged a dead ball free kick that was curling inside the near post.
In the 79th minute, Nevada almost went ahead but Kirkwood Harris' half volley off Sean Nealis' cross sailed over the bar. Two minutes later Jones, who worked his way inside the box again, found Dylan Martinez alone in front of the goal but his attempt bounced off the crossbar and was eventually cleared.
In overtime, Nealis almost ended the game in the first minute but his shot missed wide. The Seahorses, who won the Western Conference last year and advanced to the PDL national semifinals, had another shot hit the bar.
One thing's for sure, this isn't the same Nevada team that lost its first four games of the season.
"We got a lot more organized this week and they've been working hard in practice," Aigbogun said. "There has been a lot improvement (from the first game). Things are starting to get better."
The Wonders' next game is Saturday at 7:30 p.m. against the Orange County Blue Star at the Carson High soccer field.
