Soccer News: Santa Clarita Storm vs Pan American FC Recap
Going in to Sunday’s UPSL league play the Santa Clarita Storm found themselves 2 points out of first place over night. That was because Saturday night Bakersfield’s JAP Premier FC beat the Las Vegas High Rollers at McFarland High School by a score to 1-0. Therefore they leaped frog over the Storm given them 15 points, 2 over the Storm and with Valley United falling to FC Hasental 2-1 they fell to third place with 11 points.
The team had no problem with that, as they are confident now with their ability to succeed. Going in to Sunday’s game without their top goal scorer Brett Croft (4G in 5 games) who is serving a red card suspension. Also continue to be without UCLA midfielder Andrew Tusaazemajja who has been sideline with a hip flex injury.
Still not a problem for the team as they are focused on the job at hand, that combined with a good strong metal attitude. The Storm with a range to talent know they can still succeed even when without help of two of their top players. They demonstrated that as they easily beat the visitors 6-0 at The Master’s College.
The Storm started their aggressive attack right from the whistle, as the midfield possessing the ball 17 yards out and headed to the goal when a PanAmerican FC LA player fouled the Storm. It was Storm Captain Nick Rowin taking the restart and Rowin caught the under part of the cross bar bring the ball down to the back of the net and giving his team a 1-0 lead, and what turned out to be the game winner. Then just 3 minutes later as the visitors where attempting to pass the ball up from their defensive zone, Storm striker Zach Klindworth intercepted the ball in mid pass and made a quick move to the net and bringing the keeper off his line it was no problem for the speedy Klindworth to maneuver around the keeper and tuck the second goal in the net.
Storm continued to attack with pressure and just 2 min after the second goal the Storm defense seen a free Klindworth and placed a prefect air pass to his feet. Klindworth moving with his speed to the net was ran in to from behind in the keeper’s box and a penalty kick was awarded to the Storm. Defender Jose Esquivel took the kick and Storm scored their third unanswered goal in the first 10 minutes of play. (Klindworth left injured after the foul)
The second half of play the visitors came out a little more organized and what seem to be a little more aggressive on their attack. But the Storm defense would not have it in their new home and quickly extinguished any threats.
Sunday’s game was the first for returning defender Matthew Pasquale who had been gone for 3 months, he had gone back to Australia to straighten out a visa issue. It was 55th minute of play when Pasquale had the ball moving it up field from the right defense. Pasquale was left open with no one defending the ball, so he aimed took his shot and goal number 4, welcome back Pasquale. The Storm showing no signs of relief and looking threating, they just poured it on and pressed up and in the 69th minute midfielder Jake Hirst came up the right side and shot across to the face of the goal and while attempting to head the ball out of danger, the PanAmerica defender deflected it in for an own goal.
The sixth and last goal came in the 84th minute even with a 5 goal lead the Storm didn’t let up the pressure. Midfielder Alex Barahona in a cluster of player’s 2 to 4 yards in front of the visitors net Barahona began to lose balance and stuck his leg out and got the ball with enough muscle to push the ball in for the final goal of the game.
With the win the Storm regain their lead in the Northwest Conference of the UPSL and maintain their undefeated record.
Keeper Kyle Cunningham in 6 games as only allowed 3 goals and all on penalty kicks. Zero goals in actual game play. Cunningham collected 3 clean sheets out of the six games. Facing 27 shots and collecting 24 saves. GAA average .50 and a save percentage of 1.111. 5-0-1 on the season.
The Santa Clarita Storm will host Valley rivals SFV Scorpions at The Masters College in a 3:30pm kick off, come out and support this team and they continue their drive to the Conference title.
