Thunderbird Soccer Update
Jeff Moses
The MCC Thunderbirds men’s soccer team dominated the GateWay Geckos on the road at Peoria’s Rose Mofford Sports Complex on Oct. 8.
The men of Mesa scored on the Geckos from every angle, running the score up to 4-1 before the end of the drudging.
The first goal was scored by Thunderbirds’ midfielder Michael Markette within the first 10 minutes of the first half.
The T-birds’ defense held strong for most of the first half, but with eight minutes left, the Geckos were able to get a long throw-in passed T-birds’ goalkeeper Cesar Buelna for their one and only goal.
“The goal they scored was a long throw-in and we just couldn’t clear it. My keeper punched it, but it went right to one of their guys who (was) standing in front of the goal, so it was a missed play on our part, but really the only opportunity they had the whole game,” Thunderbirds’ head coach Andrew Guarneri said.
The game went to half time tied up at one goal apiece, and whatever adjustments Guarneri made for the Thunderbirds paid off.
Thunderbirds’ midfielder Josh Zavala came out of halftime fired up and put the ball into the opposing net five minutes into the second half.
On the other side of the ball, the Thunderbirds’ defense didn’t allow another goal or much time in the goalie box. The Geckos were outclassed by the T-birds’ defense.
“I think we were well set up, we played really well, we communicated a lot. I think we bonded really well as a team in back,” Buelna said about the play of the defense. “I think we have been playing great as defense and as a team since the beginning of the season, so I mean it’s a good win for us and hopefully we keep on winning after this.”
In the last 10 minutes, defender Taylor Hough was able to put ball passed the Geckos’ goalie one more time to put the T-birds up 3-1.
“It felt good. I didn’t get much playing time so when I came in scoring that goal to go up 3-1, it helped us a lot ‘cause we needed that goal to put the GateWay game away,” Hough said.
Heber Sanchez added one more goal to cap off the victory 4-1 and send the Geckos home wanting.
