Carson boys soccer settles for a tie

You can't blame Carson High boys soccer coach Jason Koop for feeling a sense of de ja vu.

Twice he's watched his team dominate matches against Wooster everywhere but on the scoreboard, yet has only a loss and tie to show for it.

On Tuesday night, Carson (5-4-1) outshot Wooster 26-10, but had to settle for a 1-1 tie in a Sierra League match against the second-place Colts (7-2-1).

Carson is currently in fourth place heading into its last two matches of the season - Saturday at home against Reno and next Monday against Douglas.

"It was the same thing in terms of more shots and controlling it (the game)," Koop said. "It's just not be able to finish. We had some good opportunities.

"Defensively, we controlled the entire way. They didn't get much. Kevin (Brush), Brian (Arce), Mats (Boehnke) and Chris (Thorson) are working very well together back there."

Carson scored the first goal in the 22nd minute, as Loren Wooldridge right-footed one in against goalie Eric Reyes from about eight yards off a pass by Sam Rojas.

"Sam took the ball down to the right end line, and then put a pass back to the penalty box (area) and I just tapped it in," Wooldridge said. "Weíre playing our best soccer of the year. We just can't finish. We've struggled the whole year with that."

Wooster's only goal, which came 16 minutes later, was tainted.

Trailing 1-0, Octavio Ramirez pounded a direct kick that hit the chest of goalie Royal Good and bounced a few yards in front of him. Christian Acosta pounced on the loose ball and beat Good, who was only in goal because regular goalie Bud Kop missed a recent practice.

"It was unfortunate," Koop said of the Wooster goal. "Their guy was where he needed to be (in that situation)."

Carson put even more pressure on Reyes in the second half. The Wooster goalie had nine saves, mostly because the Carson shots either sailed wide or went over the crossbar.

Reyes made a sliding stop on Ernesto Ayala less than a minute into the second half. Logan Ahl (44th minute), Ayala (45th minute) and Julio DeLeon (53rd minute) headed shots over the crossbar.

The closest Carson came to a goal came in the 67th minute when Good's header hit the crossbar. The Senators had two more good looks before the game ended.

Koop liked the way the offense moved the ball in the second half.

"We talked at halftime that we had to keep attacking the corner and try to get around that defender, and then put it back to the penalty box," he said. "I thought we dominated in the second half."

Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1281.