Falcon men fall to CRC in Big 8 opener

The Big 8 Conference soccer schedule got under way on Friday afternoon with a hard-fought, extremely close match between visiting Cosumnes River and host Folsom Lake, with the Hawks earning a 1-0 win.  The two teams were co-champions of the Big 8 in 2021 and played this match as if the 2022 title was on the line.  The play was physical and the scoring was sparse as neither side could generate many scoring chances.  In the final minute of the first half, however, CRC forward Isaac Sandoval got free on a breakaway and scored for the Hawks.  The Falcons spent the second half searching for the tying goal and had several near-misses, including one shot that bounced off the post and several others that required brilliant saves by CRC's goalkeeper.  The second half ended with the Falcons desperately trying to score and the Hawks hoping for the game clock to speed up.

The two teams should have a memorable rematch next month when they meet at CRC on November 1.

The Falcons (2-5-1 overall, 0-1 in Big 8) will travel to Stockton on Tuesday to face Delta (also 2-5-1, 0-1) at 4:00 pm.