The Scorpions gave up two goals in the second half and one goal in the first half of their last NJCAA Region IV home game in their return to collegiate athletics.
The Scorpions dealt with danger from set pieces with relative ease in the opening minutes and enjoyed a brief spell of possession that yielded half chances. Scorpions’ midfielder Sebastian Gonzalez dazzled with skill moves on his final home game to create opportunities for teammates in Blinn’s final third.
Gonzalez played last season when TSC played club soccer and will be looking to find another school next year.
Gonzalez said his skill moves come naturally and his final home game was good despite the loss.
“I tried to put on a show for my last home game,” Gonzalez said.
The No. 10 received cheers when he took on defenders, especially one moment in the first half when he maneuvered past two defenders while keeping the ball in play near the fans.
Gonzalez’s high school teammate goalkeeper Raul Lopez helped keep the Scorpions in the match with fantastic saves, but could not keep Blinn out halfway through the first half. The visitors scored on an open header after a defender was left unmarked.
Lopez pulled off a tremendous one-handed save shortly after. Lopez went down to his right and his hand was strong enough to parry away for a corner.
“He has been phenomenal throughout the season,” TSC head coach Mario Zamora said. “He made some great saves, and we are going to miss him next year.”
TSC went into the half down 1-0 but created chances early in the second half.
Blinn College, a team loaded with international players and numerous amounts of talent from around Texas, including the Rio Grande Valley, took its chances when they had them and would go on to win 3-0.
“They gave it their all from the first minute until the end,” Zamora said about his team’s performance. “The ball did not go in today, they had their chances, and that is about it.”
I am glad with the performance. Blinn is a great team and a great program. We are building up from the lessons of this game and keep our chin up. We have two more games to go and we are going to improve our record,” Zamora said.
The Scorpions end their season on the road against Angelina College on Friday and versus Coastal Bend College on Oct. 24.
“We have to have a killer mentality,” Gonzalez said about the last two matches. “We have to go for it like any other game and hopefully we come out on top.”
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