PRAIRIE GROVE -- With two regular season matches left to play, the Decatur Bulldogs traveled south to take on the Tigers of Prairie Grove May 5.
The first 15 minutes of the first half started slow with both teams sounding each other out. That changed, however, when Jonathan Vargas scored the first goal of the match at the 34:55 mark. Decatur would strike again at the 29:12 mark, making it a 2 to 0 match.
But Prairie Grove would not remain scoreless for long as they kicked the ball past Bulldog goalie Meng Vang with 10 minutes left in the half, making it a 2 to 1 match. The Tigers began to attack the Decatur defended goal throughout the remainder of the first half. But Vang deprived Prairie Grove of any additional goals.
For Decatur soccer coach Barry James, a one-point lead in the final minutes of the first half was not enough.
"You have five minutes, five minutes," James shouted. "I want one more. Get me the third one."
And Tony Mendoza answered. Mendoza moved parallel to the left side of the net, forcing the Tiger goalie to take the middle ground in front of the goal. As he cleared the corner post, Mendoza kicked the ball with the side of his foot, forcing it to the left side, catching the Prairie Grove goalie off guard and adding score number three. The Bulldogs took a 3 to 1 lead going into the break.
The second half started much the same as the first with neither team finding the net for 10 minutes. That changed when Decatur put its fourth goal past the Tiger goalie at the 29:35 mark, making it a 4 to 1 Bulldog match. Decatur would put up three more points, number 5 at 26:08, number 6 at 23:42, and number 7 at 14:26 to take the match, 7 to 1.
"They really played as a team in the second half," James said. "But the toughest match is Thursday against Dardanelle."
Leading the scoring was Tony Mendoza with four, followed by Jonathan Vargas with two and Luis Fuentes with one.
Sports on 05/13/2015