It was a frustrating night for the Islanders boys’ soccer team in their first league matchup against University City. Heading into the game, the team was 5-3-1, looking to right the ship after a 4-1 loss to Santana High School.
The game was tied at zero at halftime, with each team controlling the ball for extended portions of the first half.
“The tempo of the game, we controlled pretty well,” said head coach Jeffrey Roe. “The first 10 minutes, we came out flat, and kind of got a little bit of energy, and we actually played up to their level.”
Coronado had a few opportunities in the first half, including a free kick from junior Gerardo Peralta that narrowly missed the goal and a few runs that looked promising but didn’t ultimately end in scoring.
In what was otherwise a quiet night at the field, the game got a little bit chippy, particularly after a University City midfielder committed several fouls.
“Gotta mark that guy! Dirty!” a Coronado parent shouted from the stands.
The second half started with high-octane, fast-paced soccer, as offenses whipped the ball around and Coronado’s defense rotated well.
During one sequence, senior Diego Arista Martin Rayo stole the ball from an oncoming UC player and proceeded to draw a reactionary foul. The hustle the team showed was an aspect of the game Roe highlighted afterward.
“I was happy with the competitiveness and the fight,” he said.
The Islanders started the scoring on a free kick from senior Diego Villaseñor. His kick bounced off the UC goalie’s hands toward sophomore Aleksandu Vaida, who cleaned up for the score.
University City responded quickly with a goal off a corner kick. The ball was nearly corralled by goalkeeper Leo Salata but was recovered by UC and kicked into the top left part of the net.
“On a corner kick, we’ve got to be able to secure that,” Roe added. “I love Leo [Salata], and I have nothing against him, and he’ll say it a thousand times, he’s got to secure that … and then if he doesn’t, we have bodies around. They’ve got to clear that.”
University City controlled the ball for most of the remaining game time. With only a few minutes to go, the Centurions netted the final score of the game.
UC midfielder Wyatt Gerstenslager got the ball on the right side of the field, dribbled toward the middle and delivered the knockout punch with his left foot, hitting it hard on the ground just past the diving Salata.
Coronado couldn’t return the favor. Final score: 2-1. Despite the frustrating loss, Roe left the game with an optimistic spirit. He also highlighted the performances of junior Liam Cooper and senior Austin Iversen. Cooper handled the ball well throughout the game and facilitated scoring opportunities, while Iversen anchored the defense at right back.
“We keep playing like that, with that intensity with every league game, we’re going to have a chance to win league,” Roe said.
Just two days after the loss, the Islanders bounced back with a win in their second league game of the season, beating Kearny High School 3-2.
The Islanders’ next matchup is against Patrick Henry on Jan. 21 at 6 p.m.
