The Hampton-Dumont-CAL Bulldogs hosted Webster City in a boys soccer match Monday evening that aired on 104.9 KLMJ. One goal proved to be the difference as the Lynx earned a 1-0 victory.
The Bulldogs generated offensive pressure in the first half behind several shots from Hunter Rieken and Christian Zavala but were unable to find the back of the net. The Bulldog defense held firm, limiting scoring chances for the Lynx inside the penalty area, and the match was scoreless at halftime.
Webster City broke through in the second half on a goal by Abisai Ramirez-Carmona. The Bulldogs mounted a late push to tie the match, including a loose ball in the penalty area that found Adan Rodriguez’s foot in a one-on-one situation, but his shot on goal was stopped by Webster City goalkeeper Edwin Ramos Nolasco. With 1:09 remaining, Christian Zavala was awarded a free kick and sent a shot on goal, but Nolasco made a leaping save to knock the ball out of bounds and preserve the lead.
With the loss, the Bulldogs go to 1-1-2 on the season. In a conference series largely controlled by the Lynx, Hampton-Dumont-CAL Head Coach Danielle Arana says she was pleased with the team’s ability to compete.
“The fact that we were competing, the fact that we had pretty good possession against them — we both lost a lot of starters, a lot of seniors, a lot of playmakers from last year. So both of us out here with a little bit new teams, I’m proud of the boys. I mean, it’s not a win, but we know what to work on,” Arana says.
Bulldog forward Christian Zavala says the Bulldogs felt they played the better side but couldn’t overcome a key Webster City goal.
“I just think that we played amazing. I feel like we played better offense defense than Webster. We just had, they just had, you know, the lucky little tap in that they needed to come up. And I think that really affected us a pretty good amount. But that’s what we need to work on is when we’re down, we just need to work on getting back up,” Zavala says.
In the girls match, the Bulldogs fell to Webster City 9-1 on the road. They got on the board in the second half after giving up several unanswered shots.
The Bulldogs return to action tonight at Garner-Hayfield-Ventura for a doubleheader, with the girls game starting at 5:30.
The full interviews with Head Coach Danielle Arana and Christian Zavala can be found at RadioOnTheGo’s Youtube page.
