The Carpinteria boys started their second Citrus Coast League match with Channel Islands Friday on the right foot, scoring eight minutes in on a great combination play from Raul Reyes, Ricardo Rodriguez, and Ulises Segura.
But the lead didn’t survive a strong Channel Islands second half in a 3-2 loss that evens the Warriors’ CCL records at 1-1.
The Raiders scored the equalizer on a penalty kick late in the first half, and added two more in the second half.
Second half, we had many opportunities to score, unfortunately we couldn’t finish and Channel Islands did capitalize on their opportunities and scored two second half goals,” Warrior coach Gerry Rodriguez said.
Down 3-1 with 20 minutes left, Reyes was fouled in the box and Carpinteria was awarded a penalty kick that Ulises Segura converted to make it a 3-2 game.
“We kept pushing and created more opportunities, but we just couldn’t put the ball in the back of the net,” Rodriguez said. “The boys played well, even though we were missing some key starters, but (Channel Islands) played hard to the end.”
In two weeks, the Warriors travel to Hueneme for another CCL game.
Channel Islands 1, Carpinteria 0
The Carpinteria girls dropped a 1-0 match to even up their Citrus Coast League record at 1-1
“I think it was early nerves that got the best of us in the first half,” Warriors coach Freddy Martinez said. “Some sloppy passing and bad touches on the ball allowed for many Channel Island opportunities early in the match, and it only took them 11 minutes to put one of those crosses away.”
Seniors Ashley Verduzco and Ariana Lounsbury rallied the troops, and free kick opportunities and a couple of counter breaks by Verduzco and Keilly Hernandes came close.
“I was so pleased with the way the team answered this test of character,” Martinez said. “They could have easily folded and the game would have been a rout, but they received coaching instructions well and made the necessary mental adjustments and really fought hard to get a goal back.
The Warriors are now 3-3-1 overall and 1-1 in league play. They face a non-league match next Friday against Santa Clara before the holiday break.