Marble Falls boys soccer loses to Liberty Hill, ready for challenges of district play
CAPTION: The Marble Falls boys soccer team drops back to play defense and ensures Liberty Hill can’t score more. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Marble Falls High School boys soccer team lost to Liberty Hill 2-1 Jan. 20 to wrap-up its pre-district schedule.
Now the Mustangs (8-3) turn their attention to Lago Vista in the District 25-4A opener, which happens at 7 p.m. at Mustang Stadium.
“We’ve never played Lago Vista,” head coach Rick Hoover said. “They’ve beaten a few teams and lost to a few teams.”
Still, getting a district win in the opener, especially at home, would set the Mustangs on the right course, he added.
“It’s critical, it’s a must-win,” he said. “I think we have to win this game. We fully expect it. If we can play our game and get in rhythm, we can play with most teams. Once we figure out a few things and start clicking, I like our chances against anybody.”
Liberty Hill took a 1-0 lead in the first half after scoring on a penalty kick with about 13 minutes and 30 seconds left.
Esteban Dominguez nailed the equalizer in the first 10 minutes of the second half thanks to an assist from Diego Mata.
The Panthers scored the game-winning goal at the 20-minute mark.
“It was one of those nights where we couldn’t score,” Hoover said. “For whatever reason, we kept missing. That’s how soccer goes. You take advantage of them when you get the chances. Or they’ll come back and haunt you. You can play really well and not win. I thought this one fell into that category.”
The coach said fans could see the parallels between the squads that mirrored each other in many ways.
“It was an evenly-matched game,” he said. “They were able to take advantage of their opportunities. They’re a good team. We weren’t having the best night.”
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