Dos Pueblos’ boys soccer team kept one unbeaten streak alive on Monday while ending another.
The Chargers remained undefeated in the Channel League this season with a 3-1 victory over Ventura, ending a winless streak against the Cougars that dated back to 2004.
Dos Pueblos improves to 3-0-2 in league and has Santa Barbara (2-0-1) on its schedule on Thursday in a game that will go a long ways in determining this year’s league champion. The Cougars, last year’s league champion, falls to 1-2-1.
“We’ve put ourselves in a good position,” said Dos Pueblos head coach Tovi Eliasen, whose team has won three straight after starting off league with two draws.
Rodrigo Perez scored twice for the Chargers, sandwiching a goal from Danny Rowell. Ventura scored in the final minute to avoid the shutout, which would have been DP’s fourth straight.
Dos Pueblos' Rodrigo Perez moves across Ventura's goal looking for a shot. (Tom Modugno Photo)
The two goals give Perez 10 on the season while Rowell recorded his second. Brandon Tangle assisted on the first goal in the 27th minute and Eduardo Cortez assisted on Rowell’s goal four minutes later to give the Chargers a 2-0 lead at halftime.
Perez’s second strike was unassisted as he intercepted a pass with a clear path to the goal. Perez needed to beat the keeper before slamming the ball into an open net.
“We were really pressing to get that third to kill off the game,” said Chargers head coach Tovi Eliasen.
DP outshot Ventura 15-7 throughout the game.
Chargers goalie Eric Katz made six saves and nearly recorded his fourth-straight shutout, even blocking a penalty kick in the second half.
“He’s been deserving of the shutouts that we’ve had so it was too bad he couldn’t get his fourth,” Eliasen said.
Thursday’s clash at Peabody Stadium is scheduled for 5 p.m.
