The first half began with a steady back-and-forth battle between Benedictine Mesa and Park-Gilbert. Early on, Benedictine's
Jack Taylor had a header opportunity that went wide left, followed by a couple of crucial saves by goalkeeper
Moritz Ae to keep Park-Gilbert at bay. However, in the 5th minute, Park-Gilbert broke through with a goal, putting the visitors up 1-0.
Benedictine responded with several chances, including a shot by
Carlos Barraza that went high and a header from
Marco Paiz Garcia that was saved by Park-Gilbert's goalkeeper. Despite continued pressure from Park-Gilbert, Ae kept Benedictine in the game with multiple saves.
Benedictine finally found their breakthrough in the 30th minute when an own goal from Park that leveled the score at 1-1. The Redhawks gained momentum as Barraza and others continued testing Park-Gilbert's defense, though their efforts were met with saves. A defensive save by Pela Mahloko in the 43rd minute kept Benedictine level as they went into halftime tied 1-1.
In the second half, Benedictine Mesa made several strategic substitutions and created numerous scoring opportunities against Park-Gilbert. Early on, Park-Gilbert hit the post, and Benedictine responded with a blocked shot by
Shiloh Perez.
Ethan Lush later attempted a high shot, while Benedictine's defense held strong with key saves from goalkeeper
Moritz Ae.
As the half progressed,
Gergo Varga had three shots on goal, all saved by Park-Gilbert's keeper. Despite the continuous fouls from both sides, Benedictine kept up the pressure. The turning point came in the 84th minute when
Carlos Barraza netted a crucial goal, assisted by
Ethan Lush, giving Benedictine a 2-1 lead.
Park-Gilbert attempted a late comeback with a shot, but it went wide. Benedictine's defense, anchored by
Rafael Machado, who entered as goalkeeper in the final minutes, secured the victory. Machado made a critical save in the 88th minute, denying a shot sealing the 2-1 win for Benedictine Mesa.
Key Individuals:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks are back on the field on Saturday, October 12
th as they head to Glendale to play Arizona Christian.
