PRAIRIE GROVE -- Gentry (3-1) traveled to Prairie Grove to take on the Tiger boys in a soccer match which Prairie Grove won 3-0 Monday, March 12.
The previously unbeaten Pioneers suffered their first loss of the season.
"We got knocked down," said Gentry coach Jordan Parton. "The only thing left to do is get back up and get back to work."
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead at halftime. Freshman Marco Martinez notched the Tigers' first goal on an assist from Ethan Beason. Prairie Grove's second goal came off a corner kick by Josh Brant with Brandon LeDuc heading the ball into the net.
Francisco Estrada scored Prairie Grove's third goal at the 25:12 mark of the second half. Four minutes later Brant had another shot blocked by Gentry defenders. The Pioneers twice were able to mount an attack in the last 20 minutes, but Prairie Grove goalie Ben Beason made a save against Gentry junior Sam Santiago with 18:54 to play and another stop with 16:12 left.
Jordan said he was pleased with the play of forwards Edgar Reyes and Kevin Ochoa, but acknowledged the Pioneers experienced difficulty in breaking through.
"Their goalie is pretty good," Jordan said. "He competed really well and took away a lot of opportunities that we had. We just missed some shots. We'll be working on that."
Prairie Grove coach Darren Chandler liked what he saw athletically from Beason and Estrada, whom he refers to as "Frank."
"Our goalie, Ben Beason, had some pretty spectacular saves and Frank had a good goal," Chandler said. "Talk about our defense on the whole. We really shut them down tonight. We're in a new formation. It's a defensive formation. No matter who was back there, they all played excellent."
Sports on 03/21/2018