Royal soccer drops shootout

ROYAL CITY — In a match early in the week, the Royal soccer Knights came close to their first victory of the year, but Mabton prevailed, 3-2, in a shootout.

“We had three friendly matches, and we were still searching for a win. Frustratingly, in each match we have had been even or leading in shots,” coach Jens Jensen said.

The Knights were also heavily favored in corner shots but, despite these stats, the shots and the corners are not being converted into goals.

The Mabton contest was an exaggerated example of this problem. Mabton did not have a single dangerous shot from the run of play, and also not a single shot from inside the penalty area.

Mabton scored on two 30-yard free kicks that were floated high to the center of the goal, too high for the Royal goalkeeper to stop.

Mabton shot on goal only four times, while Royal had 12 shots on goal. Denisse Arroyo of Royal recorded two saves. Mabton recorded two saves.

Royal scored first in the 8th minute. Berenise Rodriguez fired a pass to Noelia Juarez, and Juarez delivered the goal.

Mabton scored in the first and second halves off of Royal fouls and led 3-1. Royal came back to tie when Jennifer Ledezma scored unassisted as time was running out.

Ledezma pressured the Viking defense throughout the match with five shots on goal. Elsie Delgado also took five.

The Knights looked uninspired in the first half but went into halftime 1-1 thanks to a fine solo effort from Noelia Juarez. She carried the ball down the right side, attacked the near post and beat the keeper low and to the far post.

The second half saw a better Knights’ team, but the contest ended 2-2 and went to a shootout.

After opening the 5-shot sudden death, three Knights’ shots from the mark went over, were wide or were saved. Mabton made three of its five attempts.