Decatur soccer team remains undefeated in conference play

Photo by Mike Eckels Decatur goalie Meng Vang prevents a score by a Tiger player during the April 7 Decatur-Green Forest soccer match at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur. Vang was instrumental in blocking several Tiger scoring attempts, allowing the Bulldogs to take the game, 2 to 1.
Photo by Mike Eckels Decatur goalie Meng Vang prevents a score by a Tiger player during the April 7 Decatur-Green Forest soccer match at Bulldog Stadium in Decatur. Vang was instrumental in blocking several Tiger scoring attempts, allowing the Bulldogs to take the game, 2 to 1.

DECATUR -- The Decatur soccer team is off to a phenomenal start this season, winning its second conference match of the season.

The Bulldogs were off for spring break the week of March 21 through 29. They returned for a week-long practice session before resuming conference play. But the Bulldogs received bad news last week when they learned that Jonathon Vargas, Decatur's star player, underwent surgery and will be out for the rest of the season. In spite of the loss of Vargas, the Bulldogs kept up the intensity levels as they went into the seventh match of the season.

The Decatur Bulldogs played host to the Tigers of Green Forest at Bulldog Stadium April 7, the second conference game for the Bulldogs since its first victory against Subiaco on March 20.

Decatur jumped to an early lead at the 36:36 mark of the first half on a goal by Luis "Joni" Fuentes. Fuentes would strike again at the 30:10 mark with another Decatur goal, giving the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead. Green Forest tried several times to get the ball into the net, but exceptional play by goalie Meng Vang prevented the Tigers from scoring throughout the first half and giving Decatur a 2-0 lead at the break.

The second half was purely a defensive game for both teams. Both goalies worked hard to prevent the ball from making it into the goal throughout much of the period. However, a penalty early in the second half pitted a Tiger player against Vang. This was a one-on-one situation that usually ends in a score. Vang was defending a little right of the middle of the goal. The Green Forest player did an excellent job of changing directions and put the ball in the opposite corner.

This was the last goal of the game and the Decatur Bulldogs took the match, defeating the Green Forest Tigers 2 to 1 and winning their second conference game of the season.

"Meng was definitely the player of the game," said Berry James, Decatur soccer coach. "He made several key saves for us in this game. Our boys played very aggressively and played very well."

The Bulldogs' next conference game was an away game against the Berryville Bobcats on April 9 in Berryville.

It was all Decatur as they kept the pressure on Berryville throughout the game. The game ended with a 1 to 0 victory for the Bulldogs. Hector Aguillar scored the only point in the game, giving Decatur its third conference win of the season. The Bulldogs are now 3 and 0 in conference play and 3 and 4 overall.

The Bulldogs travel to Danville April 14 for their fourth conference game. They return home April 16 to take on the Eureka Springs Highlanders and April 17 to play the Gentry Pioneers. Game time for the Eureka Springs game is scheduled for 5 p.m. The Gentry game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Go to decatursd.com for changes to game times or to view a list of remaining Bulldogs soccer matches.

Sports on 04/15/2015