WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lady Jack Soccer club lost their home opening match at Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium in Warren Friday night, falling to the Hope Lady Bobcats by the final of 3-0.
The visitors from the 4A South Conference, Hope, put the Lady Jacks under a bit of early pressure. Warren keeper Angie Cortes made a fantastic save inside the first five minutes of play. She fell to her left and was able to haul in a Lady Bobcat shot to keep things square at nil-nil.
Top photo: Warren left back Everlyn Torres puts in a tackle on a Hope Lady Bobcat during the second half of Warren’s match Friday night. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.
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Hope won the first corner of the game in the seventh minute. A dangerous ball into the box was cleared by right back Victoria O’Neill.
Just two minutes later the orange and black earned their first corner of the evening. The ball fell to Azul Garcia but her shot was wide.
The Lady Jacks had a solid ten-minute or so spell afterward with plenty of possession. However, things broke down in the final third and no shots were recorded on target.
Hope broke the deadlock in the nineteenth minute from out of nowhere and against the run of play. They led 1-0.
Garcia nearly leveled things at 1-1 less than a minute later as she dribbled her way just inside the 18-yard box. She went with her weaker left foot, and to be fair was able to get a solid hit, but the shot lasered into the side netting for a goal kick.
The visitors doubled their advantage nine minutes later. The goal again came against the run of play as Warren seemed to be on the ascendency.
Hope almost added a third two minutes later, but once again Angie Cortes came up huge for Warren by making the save. She made yet another in the thirty-third minute, getting down fast to her left to block a Lady Bobcat shot.
However, Hope did add a third just a minute afterward. They led Warren 3-0 at the half.
In the second, Warren’s defense made a concerted effort to shore things up at the back. Cortes made another huge save in the sixty-fifth minute.
Garcia nearly put the Lady Jacks on the board four minutes later. Warren captain Tessa Andrus played Garcia through on goal with a lovely pass that split Hope’s central defenders. Garcia found herself one-on-one with the keeper, but she was unable to convert.
Cortes again made a big save with just ten minutes to go, but the Lady Jacks never could find a clear path to goal from then on.
Jennifer Carpenter made a superb run in the seventy-fourth minute, but the flag went up as she had strayed just offside.
Garcia had one last opportunity in the seventy-sixth minute, but her final shot went wide.
The Lady Jacks fell to Hope by the final of 3-0.
Warren goalkeeper Angie Cortes was named the Que Lindo Michoacan Lady of the Match for her outstanding performance. Although the scoreline was skewed, Cortes kept Warren within striking distance throughout. She made multiple saves and gave the Lady Jacks a chance to get back in the ballgame.
The loss brings the Warren Lady Jacks’ record to 1-2 overall on the season. They get set now for an all-important start to the 4A East Conference with a match against Stuttgart at home Thursday, March 16. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m.
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