By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
Once Garden City scored, the Buffaloes dominated for a surprising 3-0 Western Athletic Conference soccer victory over Great Bend Tuesday. Great Bend (5-5, 2-3 WAC) lost its second consecutive WAC home game.
When the teams battled to a scoreless tie at halftime, the momentum would surely swing to the team which scored first. Buffalo Eric Tamayo directed a perfect long pass to Hussan Ismail, who redirected a pass to Alex Diez at the 34:12 mark in the second half.
"The first goal gave them momentum," said Great Bend coach Jesus Loera. "Our play was forced the second half in the wrong direction. We're better than we showed. We didn't play to our potential. We had no rhythm. That's on me today. It falls on me as a coach to help get us in position to play aggressive."
Rodrigo Oropeza scored on a breakaway (22:10) and Emiliano Garcia added a free kick goal (21:05) for Garden City (6-3, 3-2 WAC). Panther defender Angel Razo prevented two Buffalo goals by blocking shots on goals.
Goalie Chris Berrigan shut out the Panthers as quick defenders Eric Tamayo, Jairo Carrillo, Moses Lares and Roger Benitez played brilliantly. Time-after-time, the Buffaloes quickly cleared the ball from trouble.
The Panthers missed several chances. Humberto Alonzo and Oscar Martinez misfired on the goal. Francisco Garcia delivered the Panthers' best scoring chances which were saved by Berrigan. Garcia hit a low rocket that Berrigan stopped at the 16:30 mark of the first half.
The Panthers pushed the pace in the final 20 minutes without a goal.
"We made adjustments too late," Loera said. "We showed glimpses of our style of play that we want to play the first half. We didn't keep it together long enough to form a strong attack and score. Garden City did a good job holding us and taking everything away from us. We've got to fire up and regroup."
The game was played on a wet field by a heavy rain prior to the start. The final 20 minutes was played in light rain at Cavanaugh Field.
WAC soccer
Liberal 3-0 5-2
Dodge City 3-1 7-2
Garden City 3-2 6-3
Great Bend 2-3 5-5
Hays High 0-5 2-9
TUESDAY
*Garden City 3, Great Bend 0
Liberal 10, Hays-TMP 0
Junction City at Hays High
THURSDAY
*Liberal at Hays High
*Dodge City at Garden City
LIBERAL (4-2, 3-0)—Titan Classic (W Wichita Carroll 1-0; L Derby 2-0; L Dodge CIty 2-3, OT); *Great Bend 2-0; W Dodge City 3-1; W Garden City 3-0; W Lamar, Colo. 10-0; 10-1—Hays-TMP; 10-3—*at Hays High; 10-8—*Garden City; 10-10—*at Hays High; 10-14-19—Wichita North Cup; 10-21—*at Great Bend; 10-24—*Dodge City
DODGE CITY (7-2, 3-1)—Titan Classic (W Wichita East 3-1; L Wichita Heights 3-4, OT; W Liberal 3-2, OT); W Wichita South 9-1; W Lamar, Colo. 9-1; L *Liberal 1-3; W *Hays 4-0; W *Garden City 1-0; W *Great Bend 4-3; 10-3—*at Garden City; 10-8—*Hays High; 10-12—at St. Thomas Aquinas; 10-15—*Great Bend; 10-18—SM South; 10-19—Lawrence Free State; 10-24—*at Liberal
GARDEN CITY (5-3, 2-2)—Titan Classic (L Maize 4-3; W Wichita NW 4-3; W Hays 3-1); 9-12—*W Hays 2-1; 9-17—W TMP 10-0; 9-19—*L Liberal 0-3; L *Dodge City 0-1; W *Hays High 2-1; 10-1—*at Great Bend; 10-3—*DODGE CITY; 10-8—*at Liberal; 10-10—*Great Bend; 10-14-17-19—at Wichita North Cup; 10-21—TMP
GREAT BEND (5-4, 2-2)—Titan Classic (L Wichita Southeast 2-3; W Wichita South 4-1; W Wichita West 6-0); W Salina Central 4-0; *Liberal, L 0-2; *Hays, W 4-0; Manhattan L 1-2, OT; W *Hays 2-0; L *Dodge City 3-4; 10-1—*Garden City; 10-8—at Hays-TMP; 10-10—*at Garden City; 10-14—at Wichita Independent; 10-15—*at Dodge City; 10-21—*Liberal; 10-24—McPherson
HAYS HIGH (2-9, 0-5)—W Wichita Independent 4-1; W Classical 4-2; Titan Classic (L Classical 1-2; W Circle 10-0; L Garden City 1-2); L Salina Central 0-3 L *Great Bend 0-4; L *Dodge City 0-4; L *Great Bend 0-2; L Buhler 0-5; L *Garden City 1-2; 10-1—Junction City; 10-3—*Liberal; 10-8—*at Dodge City; 10-10—*Liberal; 10-22—Wichita Independent; 10-24—at TMP
