Falcons, Mustangs wage epic battle in 1-1 tie

Two undefeated teams, both ranked in the top four in California, went toe to toe on Tuesday afternoon at Falcon Stadium and after 90 minutes of exceptional soccer, the only thing decided was that they're about as evenly matched as the final 1-1 score indicated.  Delta College, ranked #1 in the state, entered the match with a perfect 14-0 record and had not allowed a goal since their first match of the season, a 2-1 victory over Fresno on September 1.  That's 13 consecutive shutouts!  The Folsom Lake Falcons, at 11-0-2, were ranked #4 in California and had won six straight matches.  It's probably appropriate that neither team lost.

The Mustangs controlled the ball and the pace throughout the intense first half, rarely allowing the Falcons to cross midfield with the ball.  At the defensive end, the Falcons kept finding ways to stop the relentless Delta attack, with Cass Herrman using her strong leg to clear the ball and keeper Grace Filiau denying any shot at the goal.  In the second half, the Falcons seemed to be picking up momentum with several advances that pressured the Mustang goalkeeper, but a miscue on a Delta corner kick in the 68^th minute allowed the Mustangs to punch one in.  The goal seemed to infuriate the Falcons, and their intensity rose to an even higher level.  They answered the Mustangs with a goal of their own just nine minutes later when Avery Pieri found a loose ball from a corner kick and netted it to tie the score.  The goal – their first allowed in nearly two months - was a shock to the Mustangs, and their shoulders visibly slumped.  The final 12 minutes were wildly furious, with the Falcons sending several shots at the goal and the Mustangs clinging to the tie. 

 These two teams will likely meet again, either in the Big 8 Conference Tournament (Nov 9 or 12) or in the CCCAA State Playoffs (or perhaps both!).  When it happens, it will surely be worth watching again.