Sophomore Trinity Ramirez battles for posession of the ball at the Jim Frank Track and Field Complex Saturday during a game with the Wooster Colts. The Senators won 2-1.
Two seems to be the key number in recent Carson-Wooster boys soccer matches, and that trend continued on Saturday at the Jim Frank Track & Field Complex.
The Senators, thanks to Ernesto Lamas’ goal in the 44th minute, knocked off the Wooster Colts, 2-1, to close in on second place and earn a first-round home playoff game on Oct. 31. Carson needs just a tieagainst Douglas on Wednesday to finish second.
The win was Carson’s fourth straight against the Colts dating back to a pair of 2-1 post-season wins in the regional and state championship games. Earlier this season, Carson knocked off the Colts, 2-0, in Reno. Carson will play the third-place finisher from the High Desert League at 6 p.m.
“I told the boys it was going to be a battle,” Carson coach Frank Martinez said. “We needed to win to play at home. I was pleased with their effort.”
Lamas’ go-ahead score came a little more than a minute after a Wooster direct free kick caromed off the crossbar. He found the left corner of the net against Wooster’s Maxwell Barainca.
“I’ve tried that volley before, but it never worked out,” Lamas said. “I got lucky I guess. It got me going the rest of the game.”
After that, it was all about survival for the Senators, who had three or four close calls down the stretch. Keeper Efren Ramirez and his defense were equal to the task. The scariest moment was during extra time when Wooster had a free kick. Ramirez batted the ball down, and then it was a mad scramble. Carson was able to clear it without a shot.
“It reminded me of state last year,” Ramirez said. “On the free kick, I was just trying to get a hand on it. The ball was loose , and fortunately our defense was right there.”
Prior to the free kick, Wooster almost scored off a throw-in when the ball bounced untouched between Carson defenders, a definite no-no if you are a CHS defender.
Wooster led 1-0 when Jose Vidales scored on a through ball in the ninth minute, Nine minutes later, Barainca coming out for a loose ball took out a Carson player. Ramirez came upfield from his keeper spot to take the PK, which he knocked into the right corner, tying the match at 1. It was the second straight match an opposing keeper was called for a foul against Carson.
“Efren is solid on penalty kicks,” Martinez said. “We have other players who can take them, but they can get nervous. He’s calm, and he’ll put it in 99 percent of the time.”
Wooster had a goal wiped out on an offsides in the 36th minute.
So, Carson could start at home, and that’s big.
“It would be great to get a home game,” Ramirez said. “We need our crowd to get us pumped.”
CHS girls win title
The Senators wrapped up their second straight Sierra League title with a 3-0 win over Wooster Saturday.
The win gives Carson a 14-0-1 record heading into Tuesday’s regular-season finale at Douglas. The start time of that game has been moved form 3:30 to 3:15 p.m. Carson will host the fourth-place finisher from the High Desert Tuesday Nov. 1 at 6 p.m.
One would think the pressure would be off the Senators going into a rivalry game with nothing to lose, but coach Greg Lehman disagreed.
“The playoff are coming up and we want to be sharp,” Lehman said. “Douglas is always a hard-fought game. The girls take a lot of pride in that game.”
Carson scored in the first half when Galilea Cid headed in a Lauren Hudak corner kick. The final two goals were by Mallory Otto, who has 15 on the season.
The first came off a cross by Lauren Hudak and the second was on a slotted ball from Isabella Wakeling Otto caught up with.
The Carson defense was strong, as the Colts never threatened to score. It was Carson’s eighth shutout and fourth in its last five games.
Dayton boys blanked
WEST WENDOVER — The Dust Devils yielded two second-half goals and dropped a 2-0 decision to West Wendover Saturday afternoon.
The loss dropped Dayton to 5-2-2.
“It’s not easy traveling six hours and playing two games in two days,” Dayton coach Luis Melgarejo said. “Other than not being fully rested, I don’t think we were physically fit for this weekend; lacked conditioning.”
VOLLEYBALL
Muckers lose in 5
Sage Ridge topped Virginia City 25-16, 25-20, 24-26, 18-25 and 15-12 Friday in a Division I battle.
Bethany Fuller had nine digs, 15 kills, two assists and two aces and Chelsea Nevin had eight aces, eight kills, two blocks, two digs and 19 assists. Kaitlin Hames added 17 digs, three aces and two kills, Emily Heinz had four aces, seven kills, 14 assists and two digs, and Kim Tlapa had 32 digs.
On Saturday, VC beat Sierra Lutheran 22-25, 25-27, 25-16, 25-20 and 15-12. Fuller had seven kills and 15 digs, Hames had 35 digs and Heinz had 10 kills and 13 assists. Tlapa had 42 digs.
Yerington wins two
The Lions traveled to Incline Vilage on Friday and came away with a 25-18, 25-21 and 25-7 win over Incline, and then knocked off visiting North Tahoe 25-11, 25-8 and 25-23 on Saturday in 2A action.
The Lions are 14-0 in league and 24-7 overall.
Ashley Rife had 20 kills, 30 assists and 14 digs in the two matches. Rachel Dane had 11 kills, 16 digs and 19 assists. Lindsay Mattice had 15 digs and seven kills.
