Another 1-goal match, but Royal beats Granger

ROYAL CITY — The Royal High Knights played their fourth 1-goal soccer match in a row last week, but this time they won.

They defeated Granger, 2-1, in a shootout for their first SCAC East victory. It was also the first victory of the year overall.

The win probably should have come easier. As usual, the Knights outplayed the opponent on the field, taking 15 shots and six on goal while Granger went 8-4.

Royal even dominated play in the first half, 5-2, in shots. Granger made one of its two to take a half-time lead and remind the Knights of all the matches they’d lost by one goal.

“In the econd half the girls got a little mojo going by playing with a sense of urgency and getting the ball into play as quickly as possible,” Coach Jens Jensen said.

The pressure created some frantic actions by the Granger defense. The Spartans batted a ball down in the penalty area right, where Jenny Ledezma was able to convert a goal and tie the match.

It was fitting that Ledezma made the tying goal. She put pressure on the Granger goal all evening, taking eight of Royal’s shots.

The two teams played two overtimes and still didn’t settle anything, even though Royal took four shots to one for Granger.

In the shootout, Granger made two of four shots while Royal made all four. Royal’s Denisse Arroyo made two saves during the shootout to go with the three she made during regulation and the second overtime.

The goals that won the contest for Royal were scored by Jennifer Ledezma, Samantha De La Rosa, Bianca Castellon and Monica Guerrero.