Bobcats provide an early treat

The Saddleback men's soccer team pulled off its biggest feat of the season with a 1-1 tie of Fullerton College on Tuesday inside the stadium.  The Bobcats evened the score with the top-ranked team in the final minute of play on Halloween Day in Mission Viejo.

Saddleback and Fullerton were the opening half of a double-header with Fullerton College as the men opened the day for a rare 1:00 PM start.  By 3:00 the Bobcats had their first Halloween candy as they scored in the 90^th minute to improve to 7-5-4 overall and 4-4-3 in Orange Empire Conference play.

Fullerton took a 1-0 lead in the opening half when Saddleback had a defensive breakdown and Fullerton leading scorer Misael Gonzalez made them pay.  Gonzalez stole the ball and slid it past Saddleback keeper Dominic DiFrenna in the 35^th minute as the Hornets took a 1-0 advantage into the locker rooms.

Saddleback played well in the second half, but couldn't seem to break through against a Fullerton defense that had allowed just 17 goals all season.  The Bobcats kept pressuring the Hornets until they finally cashed in when Spencer Simis took a throw-in ball from Ryan Mann and in the middle of a mad scramble, blasted the ball past the Fullerton keeper.

The goal sent the Saddleback faithful into hysteria, and soon there-after the official blew the final whistle as the Bobcat fans had an early Halloween treat.

Saddleback will play again at Orange Coast College on Friday.  The Bobcats and Pirates are scheduled to start at 3:00 PM in Costa Mesa.