The Brookhaven Bears rally from behind to beat the Eastfield Bees in overtime.

By Juan Betancourt
Sports/Web Editor

The Brookhaven College Bears soccer team overcame a one- goal deficit to buzz the Eastfield College Bees 3-2 in overtime in the first conference game of the season at home Sept. 15.

“We kept fighting back. We were the better team. We had more shots on target,” Jim Elder, Brookhaven head soccer coach, said.

Both teams battled back and forth in the opening minutes and had various goal opportunities.

In the third minute, Bees Emily Juarez struck the first shot on target, but kicked the ball too far, sending it out of bounds. Immediately after, Bears Deshae Darrell responded and tried to give Brookhaven an early lead. She took a long-range shot, and the ball hung slightly over the cross bar.

The Bears then took control of the pitch and pressured the Bees’ defense.

In the 23rd minute, Bears Joseline Sorto dribbled the ball between two defenders. She found an open space for a shot, but the Bees goalkeeper, Gabriela Roa, dove to the ground and secured the ball firmly.

In the 33rd minute, Darrell outran Bees Aileen Hernandez and struck a low power shot to the left side of the net, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead. The Bears had control, but the lead did not last long.

BEES STING BEARS

In the 41st minute, a Bees’ free kick attempt caused the Bears goalkeeper, Daniela Marin, to wobble the ball. She lost control, and the ball slipped out of her hand. The ball rebounded off the Bears’ defense, and Bees Leslie Mendoza tapped it in to tie the game 1-1. The game remained leveled until halftime.

In the 49th minute, Bees Arianna Dunsworth crossed the ball to the penalty box. The cross landed to Bees Yesmin Gabino, who headed the ball into the net. The Bees took a 2-1 lead.

BEARS BUMBLE BACK

The Bears got a free kick attempt in the 63rd minute. Micha Pond’s free kick hit the crossbar and rebounded to Bears Savanna Hernandez. With no one marking her, Hernandez tapped it in and tied the game 2-2.

Three minutes later, Bears Alexandra Aguilar ran smoothly into the Bees’ field, where she took a wide angle shot. Roa blocked her on target attempt.

The Bees almost scored in the 75th minute as Dunsworth outran Bears Kailee Bedunah. Dunsworth went inside the penalty box and took a shot. But Marin was in the right position and blocked her strike.

BEARS STEAL HONEY

The game went into overtime as the second half ended 2-2. The winner was to be decided with a golden goal, by which the first team to score would win the match.

In the third minute of overtime, the Bears were given a corner kick attempt. Darrell centered the ball, and Bears Samantha Ramirez jumped over the Bees’ defense and headed the ball into the net for a goal. The Bears swiped the Bees’ honey to win the match 3-2.

“[The ball] was coming straight at me, so I was like, ‘Oh my god, I better not mess this up,’” Ramirez said.

As of press, the Bears’ overall record is 2-2, and will travel to Angelina College Sept. 26.

“We dominated several of the teams we played and haven’t gotten results, but this is the first time we really dominated the game and then got the results,” Dennis Garza, assistant soccer coach, said.