Box Score ST. GEORGE - Get this straight: No team makes it an objective to tie or enjoys not converting on chances when the opposite number is a man down.
Still. with the Dixie State men's soccer team playing its first game in 25 days. the result was digestable. if not palate-pleasing.
DSC and BYU-Hawaii played to a 1-1 double overtime tie Thursday at Hansen Stadium. the first home game in the program's history.
"We played well." said DSC coach Danny Ortiz. "We haven't played at this (level) for three weeks. so I knew if we got through the first 20 minutes we'd be all right and settle in."
The rust might have shown up in the 12th minute when Everton Prado got the Seasiders (0-1-1 Pac West. 2-5-1 overall) on the board. Prado cleaned up a shot by Bryan Neal. whose rocket smacked off the far post.
DSC (0-0-1. 0-3-1) tied it about 20 minutes later when Zac Hales (Saint George, UT/Dixie). a 2008 graduate of Dixie High. was the recipient of a terrific pass from Kevin Young (Salt Lake City. UT/Kearns). Tapping the ball back at a difficult angle. Young put Hales in a good position to finish after BYU-Hawaii goalkeeper Doug Hansen was lured off his line.
"It was a great ball." Hales said. "He just dropped it back to me and I first-timed it into the net."
The ensuing 78-plus minutes were action-packed. although scoreless. The Seasiders came close to grabbing the lead later in the first half. Justin Bumgardner got a nifty pass on the left side with only DSC netminder Ben Brooksby (Hyde Park. UT/Skyview) to beat. Brooksby. however. raced out of the six-yard box to keep Bumgardner from getting off a decent shot.
In the 62nd minute Tom Henderson sent a cross to Jonathan Langston (Boise. ID/Meridian). who pushed it wide right. Then with about five minutes to go. Brooksby punched a dangerous a ball away.
That scoring opportunity was a short-handed one. as Brian Noguera. BYU-Hawaii's leading scorer a year ago. was dealt a red card in the 70th minute.
Noguera made a sliding tackle on a streaking Kyle Beck (Sandy. UT/Juan Diego). There was ample contact. but Noguera emerged with the ball. Nevertheless. the Seasider was bounced.
BYU-Hawaii coach Jeff Miller said he disagreed with the call. and added that Noguera's absence for the next 40 minutes - forcing the Seasiders to play with only 10 men - stifled his team's attack.
"Maybe it could have been called a foul. but even still (Noguera) did win the ball." Miller said. "It's tough. You can't really argue with the referees and have anything happen.
"It hurt us. He's a valuable guy. and we lose him for Notre Dame (de Namur) on Saturday also."
Dixie State seeks its first win against visiting Chaminade on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Ortiz said he felt the result against BYU-Hawaii was encouraging.
"They're a quality side. They have senior leadership in the back - in their goalkeeper and defenders - so we knew it would be tough to get a lot of goals." he said. "I thought we had some opportunities to win this game. and really that's all you can ask for."
DAVID CORDERO-THE SPECTRUM
