For 75 minutes, the Carson High and South Tahoe boys soccer teams sparred with each other like two fighters not willing to give their opponent an opening.
There was just one opening in the game up unitl then and the Vikings took advantage of it for the contest's only goal. In the last five minutes, the Senators launched their onlsaught, but none of the blows landed and South Tahoe held on for a 1-0 win on Saturday at Carson.
"I don't have any question that we can play with anybody," Carson coach Jason Koop said. "I don't think showed their best and vica versa. I don't think Carson showed their best. Basically it was an even match."
The defending state champion Vikings are still the team to beat after two one-goal wins this week over Douglas and the Senators.
"This is the best team that we've played so far," Koop said. "As of today they're the team that everybody's got to beat."
Carson had several excellent chances to tie the game in the final minutes. One chance that the Senators may should have received never came. Edgar Gomez was taken down in the penalty box by two Viking defenders when he was going for the ball, but no foul was called and Carson wasn't awarded the penalty kick that could have tied the game.
The Senators weren't done as Loren Wooldridge missed a shot just wide left. Royal Good then sent a crossing pass to Enrique Mendoza, who couldn't connect on his header. Wooldridge followed with another shot that just went over the crossbar.
Carson then moved five players up front and the move almost paid off, but Jose Aguilar's shot sailed just over the crossbar as time ran out.
"We have to finish our opportunities," Koop said. "We woke up some in the second half."
The Senators only real threat in the first half came early when Good crossed a pass from the right side to set up Chris Thorson, who sent a header just over the crossbar. Moments later, the Vikings took advantage of a defensive mistake to score the game's only goal.
"Really we just had one mistake that cost us," Koop said. "Other than that I thought we had it under control."
Others taking shots for Carson included Ernesto Ayala, Micah Laack and Good. Goalie Bud Kop made six saves. Kevin Brush also made an outstanding defensive play when he cleared a shot after Kop had come out to keep the Senators within one goal in the second half.
SOUTH TAHOE 2, CARSON JVS 1
South Tahoe scored the winning goal with five minutes left in the game. Martin Azzam scored off of an assist from Drew Good for Carson's goal.
