In a fiercely competitive match, Benedictine Mesa (AZ) displayed relentless energy, battling to overcome Life Pacific's early momentum. From the outset, the Redhawks applied pressure, with Jack Taylor's header testing Life Pacific's goalie, Caleb Moreno, just a minute and a half in. Benedictine created several promising chances, including wide attempts from Reagan Rintoul and Ethan Lush, but struggled to break through Life Pacific's defense. At the 12-minute mark, Life Pacific capitalized on a corner kick, with Ramiro Piza scoring to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Benedictine responded with tactical substitutions, bringing in Tshepiso Ntuli, Carlos Barraza, Tholo Malebo, and Lushil Abbia to add fresh energy. Ntuli quickly made an impact with a powerful shot, but Moreno came up with another save. Despite aggressive play and a near-goal from Malebo that ricocheted off the post, Life Pacific's defense remained resilient. As the half continued, Benedictine maintained the attack with shots from Rintoul, Ignacio Arsuaga, and Barraza, but Moreno and the Life Pacific defense stood firm. Benedictine's goalkeeper, Rafael Machado, also made critical saves, including denials against Piza and Benjamin Montes De Oca, while Gergo Varga cleared a shot off the line. At halftime, Benedictine trailed 1-0 but showed plenty of promise.
In the second half, the Redhawks intensified their push for an equalizer. Just minutes in, they began testing Life Pacific's new goalie, Ozzy Morales, with shots from Arsuaga and Lush forcing saves. Although fouls disrupted play on both sides, Benedictine continued pressing, with Barraza and Edwin Arias consistently delivering dangerous corner kicks. Substitutions brought renewed energy, and Ntuli nearly found the net with a header, but Life Pacific's Ramiro Piza made a crucial defensive save. Finally, at the 72-minute mark, Ntuli's persistence paid off as he scored the equalizer to bring the game level at 1-1.
Energized, Benedictine kept up the pressure, with Cornelus Miller and Lush taking shots that narrowly missed. Despite their relentless offensive play and continued testing of Morales, Life Pacific's defense held firm. In the closing minutes, Taylor and Shiloh Perez came close to securing a win, but the match ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Benedictine's resilience and determination were on full display in a challenging matchup.
Key Performers:
Looking Ahead:Â The Redhawks return to action on Thursday, October 31, as they head to Park Gilbert.
