Season ends in OT loss to No. 2 Skyview
2018 season over as Mustangs give up early goal in OT.
THORNTON -- It;s over, it hurt and probably will for a while.
Mullen;s boys soccer season ended on Wednesday night. A couple of minute sinto overtime, host Skyline grabbed a 3-2 victory at George Ditirro Sadium. It was similar to the Wolverines' first score, which came in the seocnd minute. Quick. A bit suprprising. And quite effective.
“We had our chances,” Mustangs head coach Matthew Guglielmo said. “We did, we did … you know how it works. In these games, someone has to make a play or someone doesn’t make a play, and they did.
Mullen;s boys soccer season ended on Wednesday night. A couple of minute sinto overtime, host Skyline grabbed a 3-2 victory at George Ditirro Sadium. It was similar to the Wolverines' first score, which came in the seocnd minute. Quick. A bit suprprising. And quite effective.
“We had our chances,” Mustangs head coach Matthew Guglielmo said. “We did, we did … you know how it works. In these games, someone has to make a play or someone doesn’t make a play, and they did.
“They were opportunistic.”
But in between, the Mustangs, who ended 8-8 and were the 31st seed, had the undefeated (now 16-0) Wolverines in trouble and on the ropes.
Mullen just couldn’t finish.
A header by senior Patrick Rooney off an lob offering by Liam Shaw on an indirect free kick leveled the match at 1 in the 27th minute and 9 minutes later Burke Bradley gave the Mustangs the lead by depositing a goal off a rebound.
Ten minutes into the second half, Skyview tied it at 2 and the back-and-forth was worth watching, both teams squeezing off a few chances and Mullen carrying a fair amount of the play.
Plus, Mullen was awarded a penalty kick with 6 minutes to play in regulation. But Rooney’s low shot to the right side of the goal was stopped by Wolverines keeper Brian Fierro.
Afterward, Guglielmo said Rooney, usually the team’s PK shooter, initially balked at taking the shot (another Mullen player was fouled on the play) “and he missed it, so maybe I should have listened ... I didn’t make the right decisions and it might have cost us a bit.”
The winning score came off a loose ball that caromed toward the Mullen goal and was fired past Mustangs keeper Uriel Diaz, who turned in another strong effort.
Mullen also had other opportunities, but sent a few shots wide and missed connecting on passes that would have increased their scoring chances.
In all, Mullen began the season 6-1, was 2-5 in the Centennial League and will lose eight seniors for next season.
And they came thisclose to knocking off the only undefeated team in the 4A bracket.
“It’s tough.” Guglielmo said.
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