2008 Woodie Awards
Mustangs drown in double overtime
Karyn Gilbert
Issue date: 10/1/04 Section: Sports
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"The ejections killed us," said head coach Larry Huiras. "We were down a man 15 times."
Thomas Dietrich helped his team by tying the game to 10 late in the fourth, and Zach Barnes made 14 saves, including a few in overtime, but it wasn't enough to win the home opener.
It looked as if the Mustangs would take the game after the first with a 5-2 lead, getting the ball from many Santa Rosa turnovers
Delta started off the game with the ball, but couldn't get it past the net in the first. The Bear Cubs were all over the ball, and their defense was on, only letting Delta score two more.
By the half, the game was tied at six.
Santa Rosa took the lead with two goals early in the third, keeping the Mustangs' fans on their feet. David Rexroth scored on a penalty shot, and Chris Tunquist tossed the ball which just floated past the net, tying the game at eight.
The Bear Cubs patted the ball towards the net, and put them up by one going into the fourth; by then it could have been anybody's game.
Nick Thomas scored to put Delta on top, and after a time out by Santa Rosa, the Bear Cubs scored, taking the lead once again.
"I just wanted to get out there and get a goal," said Thomas.
Both teams kept giving the ball away, while each goalie was working hard to protect his net.
"We got caught holding to many time," said Huiras.
Barnes continued to make block after block while his team was down a man.
Andy Brooks took a shot, but it was blocked, then Barnes stole the ball, giving it to Dietrich to score and tie the game.
"I was tired, and I wasn't thinking of tying the game, but I was there and it was my shot," said Dietrich. "It was cool to have been the shot, but I wish we could have won."
The Bear Cubs had one more shot as the goalie hurled the ball to Barnes at the buzzer, but it was blocked and the game went into overtime.
Once the fifth was rolling the Mustangs took the ball, but seconds later Santa Rosa took it away and chucked it towards the net; it was saved by Barnes.
"The guys played good, but we just got caught with our hands in the cookie jar," said Huiras.
With seconds left in the fifth, the Bear Cubs scored to take the lead, but Delta had one last shot with a three-minute quarter.
K. C. Drake and Thomas scored in the sixth, but they were no match for Santa Rosa, who scored two more in the sixth to win 13-12. Santa Rosa's Flynn O'Brien sent Delta to the locker room with their heads down after his fifth and final goal in the sixth.
"I missed two (goals) when I was on the goal," said Drake. "There is always room to improve."