Boys soccer: Oregon thwarts Dixon in BNC road win

DIXON – Looking to build some momentum in a Big Northern Conference road game, Oregon scored midway through the second half Wednesday to break a scoreless tie in a 1-0 win over Dixon at A.C. Bowers Field.

Despite being outshot 16-11, including 10-6 on goal, the Hawks (3-4-2, 2-2 BNC) found a way to turn away the Dukes (3-1-1, 2-1 BNC) time and time again to pull out the victory.

“That’s the team we can be,” Oregon coach Seger Larson told his team in the postgame huddle. “Now we’ve got to keep the momentum going.”

[ Photos of Oregon at Dixon boys soccer ]

Steven Guardado scored the goal for the Hawks with 16:45 to play, corralling a loose ball after it deflected off a Dixon defender’s back and punching it past goalkeeper Deaglan Taylor into the lower left-hand corner of the net.

Taylor had deflected a shot right before the goal, and it bounced off a couple of players from each team before it found Guardado’s foot.

“I saw the ball and knew I had to shoot it. We had a chance to take the lead and we had to take it,” Guardado said. “We’re playing against teams that are really good, and we’ve got to give 100% in every single game that we have. That’s why we won today.”

Dixon had plenty of chances in both halves, but came up empty. At least four opportunities right in front of the goal were either saved by Oregon goalkeeper Deryk Withers or deflected by a Hawks defender.

“That’s the difference in the game. You’ve got to be able to bury your chances, and we couldn’t do it tonight. We missed opportunities and were a step behind almost the entire game, pretty much,” Dixon coach Josh Brigl said. “There was nothing we can do about that [goal] getting through. You’ve got to be first to the ball, and we weren’t the whole night. That was the story of the night: They were first to the ball and we weren’t, they wanted it a lot more, and we lost because of it. They just beat us, that’s the game.”

Withers made nine saves, while Ethan Bond (2 saves) and Taylor (3 saves) split the keeper duties for Dixon.

In the last 15 minutes, Dixon increased its pressure and played with more urgency as it tried to score the equalizer. But the shots either went wide or were secured in Withers’ gloves.

“There were a couple at the end that almost went in, and I knew I had to dive and knock it away. I couldn’t take any chances at the end, even if the shots were going a little wide,” Withers said. “It’s all about communication. We had to keep them outside the 18 [yard box]. As soon as they get inside the 18, it’s trouble. We just had to keep pushing them out. Teamwork was key, and I’m proud of the defense today. They really stepped it up when we needed them.”

The ball went back and forth the entire game, and possession was pretty even. The Dukes had more opportunities at Oregon’s goal, but it didn’t translate to victory.

“Going forward, you hope that you learn to have that sense of urgency from the jump,” Brigl said. “We got a couple of good wins to start the year and have been scoring goals at a decent clip – and that didn’t happen tonight. Hopefully they realize that they have to earn it and come out and battle right away. Nothing’s going to be given to them, they have to earn it.”