Santa Barbara’s boys soccer team backed San Marcos into a corner on Saturday and didn’t let the Royals out.
Fourteen corner kicks was just one sign of the Dons’ constant pressure that brought a 4-0 final score in a Channel League victory for Santa Barbara, which remains unbeaten on the season at 21-0-1.
Sanford Spivey leaps above the fray to score Santa Barbara’s first goal on Saturday.
Sanford Spivey, Jesse Gonzalez, Alex Santana and Fernando Alvarado scored for the Dons (4-0-1 CL) while the defense kept the Royals (6-7-2) from recording a single shot on goal.
“That’s our defensive effort that we’re putting forth top to bottom;” said Dons head coach Todd Heil. “The pressing that we have. The pressure that we apply up top all the way to the back.”
PHOTO GALLERY
The Chanel League match was a rescheduled game from Tuesday. After two weeks of matches being postponed, the Dons have won twice in the last three days, scoring six times and retaking the Channel League lead with 13 points.
“It’s definitely a confidence booster. We’re just preparing for playoffs from now on. Every game is just a step to playoffs,” said Spivey, who scored the game’s first goal on a corner kick taken by Jesse Gonzalez.
Ryan Gilmore, right, gets rid of the ball before Fernando Alvarado, center, and Spencer Pritchard, left, arrive.
It was SB’s fifth corner of the half and Spivey leaped above a crowd slam home his eighth goal of the season in the 3oth minute. Once Santa Barbara broke the seal, the goals started to flow.
Five minutes later, Gonzalez drew a penalty kick when he was tripped up in the box after he beat San Marcos keeper Brian Shaw. Gonzalez converted the PK for his 15th goal of the season. He shares the team lead with Christian Pardo, who sat out the game because if an injury suffered on Thursday.
Not two minutes after Santa Barbara’s second goal, Alex Santana surprised everyone with a line drive from 30-yards outs that still seemed to be rising when it hit the back of the net.
Alvarado’s goal came early in the second half on an assist from Justin Jimenez, who sent several dangerous balls across San Marcos’ goal in the second half.
“You can’t ever argue with four goals,” said Heil, who been extremely happy with his team’s play since the layoff. “We’re a tough team to just pinpoint one guy to lockdown on.”
George Munoz was close to being the the Dons’ fifth different scorer in the game when he placed a header on goal in the second half. Scott Messier got his own head on it and deflected it out of bounds.
Eli Harris also saved a goal for the Royals, denying Jimenez by clearing a bouncing ball from the goal line.
