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Injured goalie leads Dawgs past Falcons
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With goalkeeper Yessenia Medina leading the way, the Ceres High girls soccer team beat the Atwater Falcons 2-1 at Walter White School in Ceres on Thursday.

Medina made 11 saves despite playing with a bruised right knee.

"She had some real gutsy plays today," said Ceres coach Randy Cerny.

Ceres improved to 1-2-1 in the Central California Conference standings, 6-4-1 overall.

The Bulldogs won just five games last season.

"Their best games are ahead of them," Cerny said.

Janet Cortes and Lucero Villasenor scored for Ceres.

Villasenor has scored nine goals and picked up three assists in 10 games. She didn't play last year because she was ineligible.

"I'm really happy that we have her this year," Cerny said. "She adds that extra component to our offense."

Sarah Magneson scored for Atwater, which fell to 1-2-1 in the CCC.

Ceres led 1-0 at halftime. Cortes scored in the 36th minute off an assist from Villasenor.

"We did come out flat," Cerny said. "Then they seemed to get inspired a little bit late in the first half."

Villasenor put the Bulldogs ahead 2-0 early in the second half. She scored on an unassisted breakaway in the 43rd minute.

"She's a very dangerous player," Cerny said.

Magneson and the Falcons cut the Bulldogs' lead to one in the 70th minute. Ariel Gregsten picked up the assist.

Atwater scored its lone goal against Ceres' bench players.

Falcon goalie Tony Enriquez had five saves.

"A bunch of our shots went wide and over the net," Cerny said.

Dawgs end streak

Ceres High has compiled an 0-14 record against Davis since moving from the Valley Oak League to the Central California Conference in the fall of 1996. The Bulldogs made history in Ceres on Tuesday, March 16.

Ceres defender Michelle Guzman scored two minutes into injury time in the second half to give the Bulldogs a 2-2 tie with the Spartans.

"I was happy with the team's effort," said Cerny, whose team ended a seven-year losing streak against Davis.

Ceres improved to 0-2-1 in the Central California Conference standings. Davis improved to 1-0-2 in league.

Guzman's equalizing shot ricocheted off a defender and past Davis goalie Renee Schneider in the 82nd minute. Guzman scored from 40 yards out.

"I thought we were going to come down and get another one and win the game," Cerny said.

Amy Duroy put the Spartans ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute. She scored minutes after Villasenor and Myrna Cadenas threatened in the box.

Duroy made it 2-0 on a penalty kick in the 18th minute after Guzman was whistled for a hand ball inside the box.

Cadenas cut Davis lead to 2-1 in the 22nd minute. She tapped in Julieta Romero's shot, which was blocked by Davis' goalie.

Medina made three saves.

Schneider made seven saves.

Ceres plays host to Modesto High tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. - By DALE BUTLER / Staff Reporter of The Ceres (Calif.) Courier