Three-game skid comes to abrupt halt

Coach Drew Guarneri and the Lady Thunderbirds dominated the Lady Geckos of Gateway on Saturday night, September 10, bringing a three-game losing streak to an end, 4-1.
 
“We were tired of the losing streak and came out determined tonight,” says midfielder sophomore and captain Andrea Duke.
 
The ladies controlled the offensive tempo and kept the ball in their opponent’s side of the field for nearly the entire contest.
 
Duke would pitch in with a goal on a beautiful display of dribbling, weaving her way through two defenders en route to Mesa’s fourth goal of the night in the 80th minute. The placement of the goal was about as amazing as was her maneuvering through the defense - as she slammed it into the lower portion of the net on the left-hand side after forward Taryn Garner fed her with the assist.
 
Gateway controlled the action early as forward Sam Bush made some nifty moves of her own in the first ten minutes of the match. However, Bush would be injured as she slammed into MCC GK Nikki Buck’s legs trying to capitalize for Gateway in the box. She wouldn’t return until late first half.
 
After Bush left the match, Mesa took over offensively and began with a barrage of shots on goal, starting with Garner, followed by sophomore fullback McKenzie Porhola, midfielder freshman Kirsten Ryan, then Duke. No goals were notched until the 21st minute but Mesa was constantly at the door.
 
Midfielder sophomore Rihana Shaw got things going for Mesa as she scored on an assist from fullback sophomore Lexi Nevitt. 
 
Midfielder freshman Katy Gillespie continued the momentum for Mesa on a loose ball in front of freshman GK Sabrina Crawford of Gateway.  Shaw assisted on the Gillespie goal in the 38th minute.
 
Mesa would take that 2-0 lead into the half and the clouds began to roll in and lightning was seen in the distance to the East.
 
The Lady Geckos would score on a breakaway goal from freshman midfielder Denisse Santos in the 51st minute, cutting Mesa’s lead to 2-1. Gateway would get no closer.
 
Mesa’s third goal came in the 56th minute from a third different scorer. This time it would be freshman forward Taryn Garner. Garner received a through-ball on the right side just passed midfield from Ryan and blasted a rocket-shot into a perfect spot on the lower, left-hand side of the goal from nearly 90 feet out and Mesa was in control, now up 3-1.
 
The aforementioned fourth tally from Duke punctuated a dominating performance from a team that desperately needed one. If success can be built upon this outing, Mesa looks to have many highlights in the not-so-distant future. 
 
Mesa sophomore GK Nikki Buck had an outstanding game in the net for Mesa when she was tested. Buck lowers her GAA to 1.5 in her six games in goal. She has allowed nine goals in those six games. 
 
“It was nice to see the ladies respond to the losing streak and some of the things we discussed in pre-game and practices this past week. We are too good of a team to allow a losing streak to continue and I am proud of the entire team,” says Guarneri.
 
Mesa moves to 3-4 on the young season and collects three more points in the win. More importantly, they hand a loss to a team ahead of them in the standings. Gateway slips to 3-2 and falls into a four-way tie for 2nd place in the ACCAC behind leaders Paradise Valley (5-0) and Scottsdale (4-0). 
 
Scottsdale is up next for Mesa this coming Tuesday, September 13 at 4:30 at John D. Riggs Stadium. The Lady Artichokes defeated Phoenix College this afternoon, 4-1 to remain unbeaten in 2011. 
 
The men will play immediately following at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. 
 
Lightning and rain has postponed the men's match with the Geckos until Sunday, September 11 at 4:30 p.m.