| Lisa Migliori moves in to take the ball from a Union player during a game played earlier this year on the CEU field. |
A fired up Carbon Dino soccer team took to the field Tuesday evening to take on the top region eight team, Lehi. The Dinos were stoked up about the competition and hit the field determined to give Lehi the challenge of a lifetime.
Coach Dave Capalbo explained that the last three times that the Dinos played Lehi, the scores were 11-0, 8-0, and 7-0. This years team was determined to not fall to the Pioneers in such a dramatic matter again.
Although the Pioneers have not lost a Region 8 game in 14 straight games which dates back to last year, the Dinos were determined not to be intimidated by the record.
The first half was played fairly even. “They moved the ball extremely well to a shooting area, but then they either missed the shot or had it stolen by the fired up play of the Dinos defense,” explained coach Capalbo.
Hailee Vigil, Michelle Ruden, Ashely McFarlane, Sharaon Watson, Whitney Montoya, Rachelle Gunderson, Tacie McFarlane and Candice Buchmiller each stepped up and pressured the Pioneers during the Dinos home game.
“These are players that don’t usually get mentioned, but they do all the rough and dirty work by playing against the other teams best shooters,” Capalbo stated.
By the end of the first half, the score remained unchanged, 0-0. In fact, entering the half, the Dinos had a difficult time leaving the field because they were so charged and wanted to continue playing.
The second half rolled around and the Dinos remained on fire. Despite the Pioneers out shooting the Dinos 14-2, Carbon stayed focused.
The end of the quarter quickly came and the score remained tied at 0-0. Under new rules, a sudden death overtime was then played. This means that the first team to score a goal wins. The overtime period lasts only 10 minutes, therefore the battle ensued for the prize winning goal.
Dino goalie Dani Long played an incredible game. After battling the Pioneers for about five minutes, Long made a nice block and the ball rebounded right back to the shooter who was about 15 yards out. She immedieately blasted off another shot.
One of the Dino players jumped in front of the shooter and put her hands infront of her face for protection. The ball hit off her hands and the ref called a handball. According to coach Capalbo, this is not a big deal out on the field because the team is only awarded an indirect free kick. Inside the penalty area though it turns into a penalty kick for the opposing team and this awards the team an indirect kick.
The Pioneer shooter made a nice penalty kick to end the game 1-0 in overtime. Quite an improvement from the last three meetings the two teams have had.
Carbon will play Delta Oct. 1 and then the team will return home to play in their final home game of the year which will take place at 4 p.m. Oct. 4.
The team is now playing their games behind the high school on the field which has been marked for soccer and is now the new home of the Dino soccer field.