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HAZE Temp: 47 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, November 21, 2002 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend October 16, 2002 KU's Zach Tucker (9) soars above Ashland's Brook Golling and Alex Christlieb for a header. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Headed on the right path Late rally pulls Ashland into four-way tie for second place in SOC standings By TIM PYLE Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Rolaids could have filmed a commercial on the Ashland boys soccer team’s bench late in Tuesday’s match at North Mountain Park. The Grizzlies, trailing 1-0 to Klamath Union and in danger of dropping to 2-3 in Southern Oregon Conference play, were definitely in need of relief. Urgency marked Ashland’s play on the field, and anxiety gripped Grizzly players, coaches and fans alike. But with about eight minutes remaining in regulation, Ashland’s Fabian Garcia-Flores finally found the net with a slick header off Alex Christlieb’s dead-ball cross. And six minutes into overtime, Rick Ferguson pounced upon a loose ball generated by Matt Sharp’s deflected shot and beat Pelican goalkeeper Jose Ortega to give the Grizzlies’ playoff hopes just the kick they needed. The 2-1 overtime victory vaulted Ashland (6-3, 3-2 SOC) into a four-way tie for second place in the conference along with KU (8-4 overall), Crater and Grants Pass. "It was vital," Christlieb, a senior stopper, said of the Grizzlies’ comeback victory. "It was extremely important as far as the standings and the state playoffs." Expected by many to win the SOC this fall — although it was a slim underdog to South Medford in the preseason coaches poll — Ashland found itself in dire straits Tuesday after losing to South, 2-1, on Sept. 28 and to Crater, 1-0 in a shootout, on Oct. 5. A loss to the Pelicans, whose only previous conference defeat was at South, 2-1, on Oct. 5, would have dropped the Grizzlies to fifth place with just two matches remaining. The SOC’s top four make the Class 4A state playoffs. Ashland might have still made the postseason with a loss, but it would have been as the fourth-place team, which has to play at Mt. Hood Conference No. 4 for a state sub-tournament game. "This was a big one," said Eisa Tiaa Tutu, the Grizzlies’ fifth-year head coach. "In practice, I said, ‘OK. Who wants to travel from here for seven hours to Hood River to play the first game? You know you’re gonna get tired, and you’re gonna get beat up because that team will be fresh because they’re staying at home.’ "I just told them, ‘You have to win the game. Simple as that.’" Despite a flurry of first-half scoring chances, Ashland fell behind in the 26th minute and didn’t recover until the nerve-wracking end. Senior forward Ricardo Guerrero continued his season-long scoring tear by running on to a pinpoint through pass from senior central midfielder Tyler Casey and finishing a one-on-one with Ashland junior goalkeeper Tony Laughlin in the 26th minute. The goal was Guerrero’s 18th of the season, with at least one coming in every KU match except the loss to South. In the final seconds of the first half, the Grizzlies nearly equalized on the first of two straight corner kicks. Sharp, a senior forward, drove the ball to the far post, where it was knocked back toward the penalty spot. Senior midfielder/fullback Jacob VanAusdall got a foot to it, chipping over a cauldron of players and toward the right-side netting. Ortega, a junior who appeared beaten by the shot, nimbly backtracked and leapt to punch the chance away. The second half featured predominant Ashland possession. In the early going, Grizzlies senior midfielder/forward Will Fain headed a corner kick from senior right midfielder Trevor Peterson just past the far post. The Pelicans answered with a rocket from Casey over the crossbar after pretty build-up and senior central midfielder Zach Tucker’s breakaway opportunity that was denied by Laughlin. As the minutes passed, Ashland’s pressure intensified, with Sharp blasting a left-footed volley off his own juggling over the crossbar and senior Fletcher Beaudoin having his close-range, left-foot laser pushed wide by Ortega. Following KU senior sweeper Jon Fay’s foul to stop a Grizzly surge forward, Ashland finally found its scoring touch from the right edge of the penalty box, about 25 yards out, in the 72nd minute. Christlieb shrugged off initial instructions to "shoot it!" from Tiaa Tutu and assistant Thierry Chouard, then used his right foot to bend a ball toward the back post. Garcia-Flores, a skillful sophomore forward, slipped past a few Pelican defenders and lunged forward to head the ball in before landing on his stomach. "Actually, I was looking to Matt (Sharp), and he had two guys on him," said Christlieb, who earned first-team all-SOC accolades last fall. "He just opened the space for Fabian, and he just put it right in. It was sweet." A few minutes later, the whistle blew on regulation, and overtime — which consists of two, 10-minute halves — began. The Grizzlies kept forcing the issue, unable to convert a couple of chances before Ferguson finished the game-winner. Garcia-Flores controlled in the center and passed to Sharp on the right side. Sharp’s shot was slowed by a charging KU defender, allowing Ferguson to sprint in, take one touch and beat Ortega from close range as he came off his line. The Pelicans were held without any prime opportunities to tie the rest of the way, although Tucker did fire a free kick from about 25 yards into Ashland’s wall just before the second half of OT expired. The Grizzlies made good on a 22-11 edge in shots and 10-3 advantage in corners with the all-important victory. "It was a good game," said KU second-year head coach Marty Ledgerwood. "I don’t feel like we played our best soccer. We gave them a lot of opportunities, and they finally capitalized. "When you give a good team that many set plays, like their free kick at the end (of regulation), they’re gonna eventually score." And save their season from the brink of disaster. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search M Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright 1997-2002 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy web master feedback A D V E R T I S E R S