Regulation ends in controversy as LSUA ties Our Lady of the Lake

ALEXANDRIA—Daniel Torrenegra thought he had won the game at the end of regulation after a goal following beautiful goal kick from Alvaro Garcia.

Until it was disallowed.

It would have been the freshman’s first career tally.

LSUA’s men’s soccer team had to settle for a scoreless draw with Our Lady of the Lake on Thursday afternoon after Torrenegra’s goal, which LSUA thought was a goal, was discussed by the officials and ruled that Torrenegra did not score the goal on time. For it to be a legal goal, the entire ball needs to cross the goal before the clock hits zeroes.

While Generals (2-3-2 overall, 2-1-1 RRAC) players were celebrating, the refs came together to discuss whether it counted or not. Ultimately, the officials ruled it no goal and the game went into overtime, where nobody found the back of the net.

That was not the only chance the Generals had to break the tie in the final minute of regulation. Torrenegra had a free kick in the offensive zone and the ball landed in the box and Keelin Foley’s shot hit the crossbar and bounced down in front of the goalkeeper Joseph Baker and the ball was booted out of harm’s way by the Saints defense.

The only real chance in the two overtime periods came by OLLU, as Jack Parker had the ball and Garcia challenged him near the edge of the box and made a nice save on Parker’s shot attempt.

While the last few minutes of regulations had all the excitement you’d want in a game, the contest was a battle of defense. There was only one shot in the game’s first 30 minutes and three in the entire first half.

OLLU (3-2-1, 2-1-1) had a threat in the 35^th minute when Oluwatimileyin Talabi tried to cross into the box, but it was intercepted by Alessandro Zappavigna, who passed it back to Garcia to thwart the Saints best opportunity of the first 45 minutes.

LSUA had its chance in the second half until the final minute in the 64^th minute when Shaun Spencer received a pass in the offensive zone and had a clean look, but his shot sailed high.

Garcia stopped the only shot he faced for his second shutout of the season. Both shutouts have come in scoreless draws, with the tie against Lyon on Feb. 7 being the other.

Spencer and Juan Dorta each had two shots to led LSUA. LSUA led the shot battle 8-4.

Baker stopped the two shots he faced. Luan Balestrieri attempted two of the four shots taken by the Saints.

The Generals finish the weekend with a home game against Houston-Victoria on Saturday at the Generals Soccer Field. LSUA finishes the regular season on March 27 against Southwest.

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CUTLINE: Alvaro Garcia stopped one shot en route to his second shutout of the season. He also made a terrific pass to Daniel Torrenegra for what he thought he was the winning goal, but it was disallowed.