Updated 12:53 p.m. Oct. 16, 2019
The UTRGV Soccer Club fell short 3-2 Saturday afternoon against the Texas Southmost College Soccer Club at the UREC soccer field in Edinburg.
TSC took a shot in the 20th minute, but the Vaqueros goalkeeper responded with a save.
Throughout the game, UTRGV recovered control and pressured the Scorpions with three consecutive attack. The Vaqueros obtained their first goal just two minutes before the end of the first half, to put TSC at a disadvantage.
UTRGV returned to the field with confidence, taking the first shot on goal, but five minutes later TSC freshman forward Jose Echaverria scored a goal.
“I feel great,” Echaverria said in Spanish. “It’s a wonderful feeling for me, my teammates and our entire school.”
He not only scored both goals for the Scorpions but also assisted freshman Jose Pardillo with the winning goal.
“We just need to keep working as hard as ever,” Echaverria said. “The objective remains. To win, win regionals and take home everything. That’s always been our goal.”
No team gave in; players from both teams fought and defended the ball.
While UTRGV attacked, TSC defended and vice versa.
Fifteen minutes into the second half, Echaverria managed to break the tie and take the 2-1 lead, scoring with a bicycle kick for the Scorpions.
Despite its disadvantage, UTRGV continued to push forward and earned a penalty.
UTRGV junior attacking midfielder Brandon Eduardo Rangel tied the game by tricking the goalie into the opposite side of the net.
Nonetheless, three minutes later, TSC gained back the lead and scored the final goal of the game with 17 minutes remaining in the game.
In the last five minutes, the Vaqueros had one last opportunity to tie the game when a player chipped the ball over the goalkeeper, but TSC sophomore defender Jose Zamora saved the ball in the line to prevent UTRGV from scoring.
Alejandro R. Garcia, UTRGV soccer club president, said he will use the defeat as experience and acknowledged his team for leaving their heart on the field.
“I think the guys played hard,” Garcia said. “They gave it their best; they played their 100% and that’s what we take. We either win or we learn. We have to look back and see what we did wrong, fix mistakes. That way, we can move forward in the season.”
TSC Soccer Club Head Coach Mario A. Zamora acknowledged the UTRGV Soccer Club for putting up a good match.
“Also congratulate UTRGV for a great match,” he said. “They’re excellent rivals.”
UTRGV Soccer Club Head Coach Hugo Zúñiga said the support of the crowd matters to them.
“We talked about leaving everything on the field,” Zúñiga said in Spanish. “These are classics, games with a lot of passion and emotion and we prepared for it. We’re always ready to get out there and bring a good match for our fans. We play for them and for our university. Without them, this event wouldn’t have been possible.
The next game for the UTRGV Soccer Club is at 3 p.m. Saturday on the Edinburg campus against No. 1 team in the region, Texas Tech University.
