LITTLE ROCK – Picking up a second road win in the last week, the Warren Lumberjack Soccer Club dealt Mills of Little Rock a defeat on Tuesday evening, April 4, 2023, by the final score of 3-0 on the campus of Mills University Studies High School.
Strangely enough, although the game was not won by mercy rule, the match really felt put to bed less than five minutes in. The Lumberjacks scored twice in the opening four minutes.
Top photo: Warren’s Jose Garcia battles with a Mills Comet during Tuesday’s match. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.
By Rob Reep
Saline River Chronicle
This Lumberjack match report is brought to you by:
The first goal came in the 2nd minute, courtesy of Jose Garcia. Midfielder Cristian Sandoval played a wonderfully weighted right-footed through ball to Garcia. The Warren winger shot down the left wing, popped a shot on goal which was saved. However, the keeper could only push the ball back into play. Garcia was quickest to the loose ball, and he buried the rebound to give the orange and black the lead less than 90 seconds into the match.
The Jacks kept the early pressure up. In the 4th minute, Sandoval himself got in on the scoring action. After a Warren throw-in, Mills failed to close Sandoval down fast enough. The ball took a bounce at his feet, before he sent it buzzing into the back of the net off a half-volley. It will most certainly be a contender for goal of the season.
Warren dominated the rest of the first half, although they couldn’t find the third goal to provide some insurance.
Keeper Jessie Cortes made a good save in the 22nd minute. The Jacks went into the halftime break up 2-0 over the Comets.
Sixteen minutes into the second half, Warren took hold of the third insurance goal. Warren’s Miguel Mendoza took possession of the ball from five or ten yards outside of the 18-yard box, drove into the heart of the Mills defense and whipped a hard left-footed effort towards goal. The keeper couldn’t clear, and Christopher Crisostomo put it in from seven yards.
Mills picked up a red card for a high elbow two minutes later to go down to 10 men. The game was firmly in Warren’s hand by that point, however. Bryan Reynoso, who typically features at left-back and in the midfield, moved to a central forward position. He was nearly able to add a fourth goal in the 65th minute and in the 66th. The first shot skimmed just wide of the post, and the second was right at the keeper.
Alann Juarez also had a late shot from distance saved, but Warren kept the clean sheet, going on to win 3-0 over Mills.
Senior Cristian Sandoval was named the Que Lindo Michoacan Man of the Match.
The win was Warren’s fifth overall of the season. The Jacks are now 5-2-1 overall and 4-0 in the 4A East. They are due to face Lonoke Thursday at Jim Hurley, Jr. Stadium in Warren, with kickoff set for 5:00 p.m. At this time, there is no Lady Jack game scheduled beforehand.
