WVC ties Walla Walla in physical battle

“I’ve been coaching a long time, it seems every game we play against Walla Walla is a hotly contested and competitive match and that’s what it turned out to be,” Wenatchee head coach Kyle Vierck said after the tie. “But it was good competition.”

Neither team really generated a whole lot of quality chances, but it was a battle throughout.

Walla Walla got on the board first in the 13th minute as Moises Martinez snuck a shot past WVC keeper Alexis Calderilla. Walla Walla controlled the rest of the half but the score remained 1-nil heading into half.

WVC looked better coming out the break and started to put together some nice combinations to move down the field. The Knights were rewarded in the 56th minute. Luis Rodriguez got in on a long ball down the sideline and made a nice touch back to his right foot before finishing top shelf to level the score at 1-1.

But as good as the play was, Rodriguez committed a crucial foul in the box in the 77th minute that nearly gave the game away after Walla Walla converted from the spot. He was bailed out 10 minutes later by Luis Navarrete, who converted his own PK after drawing a foul by the keeper following a nice run through the middle.

Of course, Navarrete needed two PK attempts to do so.

The keeper stuffed his first shot, which Navarrete mishit and played in softly, but the assistant referee ruled the keeper (Antonio Campos) jumped forward off the goalline prior to Navarrete striking the ball. Campos was given a yellow and Navarrete another attempt, which he blasted past Campos to even the score at 2-2.

“That doesn’t happen very often but it’s good we’re chasing the game down there,” Vierck said. “A great ball from (Jose) ‘Lalo’ (Camarillo) gives Luis a chance and if his effort and run isn’t coming in than the goalkeeper collects it. I have no idea why we got the redo, but the second was good. I think the game was probably owed a draw.”

WVC will get Friday to recover before playing Columbia Basin at home Saturday afternoon. Kickoff is at 2:15 p.m.

“We didn’t pick up the win but we’ll try our luck against CBC,” Vierck said. “They are a good team too.”