Sterling freshman Mauricio Herrera scores lone goal in loss to Geneseo

STERLING — Sterling freshman Mauricio Herrera provided a bright spot late in the Golden Warriors’ 3-1 Western Big 6 Conference soccer loss to Geneseo on Tuesday night.

Facing a three-goal deficit, the speedy forward found an opening and scored Sterling’s lone goal with about 10 minutes left to play.

There was no celebration.

Herrera quickly grabbed the dead ball and sprinted to midfield in order to not waste any time waiting for play to restart with his team still trailing. The game looked out of reach at that point, but he didn’t play like it.

Sterling coach Chris Interone, who took over the head coaching position a couple of weeks ago, said he’s been watching Herrera for years before he made the jump to the high school level.

“Right away I knew he was just going to be a factor in our attacks,” Interone said. “He’s got the mindset, he’s always thinking tactically. He’s definitely somebody that we like having aboard.”

Sterling (5-9-1, 1-4 Big 6) looked to tie the game at 1-all in the 23rd minute, but the goal was waived off by an offside call. The Maple Leafs (5-6-1, 2-3) instead tacked on a couple of minutes later as Brady Hamer’s goal made it 2-0. Cole Clifton scored in the 14th minute.

“Geneseo is always a good, fast-attack team,” Interone said. “Every time I approach a game with them, it’s always about trying to control the middle. And whenever we turn it over, try to deny the service. And I think that’s where they got us on two goals. As soon as we turn it over, they’re quick on the attack.”

Sterling keeper Rex Blackburn did what he could in net, finishing with seven saves.

James Matthews had Geneseo’s third goal just a few minutes after the break.

Interone said the team started to find its passes better in the second half, but a three-goal deficit was too much to overcome.

He said the key to having more success on offense comes down to making better decisions with passes and having sharper movements off the ball.

Sterling senior captain and defender Chris Martinez said the team needs to play more calmly and composed. Without one go-to scorer on the team, it will take a group effort.

“We just try to play too much individual play,” he said. “We’ve got to play more as a team.”

If that happens, more offensive chances should come.

“Even when we get the chances, we have to take advantage of it,” he said, “and finish it.”

He said getting behind early also brought morale down in the loss.

“The team got dragged down in the second half,” Martinez said. “We didn’t come in with too much intensity.”

Herrera’s goal provided a brief boost, but it was too little, too late.

“We’ve got to get better on our buildup play and not just kick the ball up and hope somebody pulls out some magic,” he said. “We’ve got to create our chances.

“It’s got to be a team effort. There’s no star player. Everyone on the team is a star player. We’ve got to play like that.”