Luis Cruz had been on the field for 24 seconds when a ball broke loose on the right wing about 30 yards from goal. He beat a Summit Christian Academy defender to it and fired a shot into the right side of the net, giving Republic a 1-0 win in sudden-death overtime Saturday morning at Republic.
Summit Christian’s goalkeeper had been playing high off his line, an angle the Tigers had talked about, and when the ball came to Cruz, a reserve with limited varsity minutes who had just checked in, he took the shot and scored the first varsity goal of his career.
Republic had put up 14 shots before that one, eight of them on goal, and the Summit Christian keeper had turned them all away.
From the outset, Summit Christian took the play to Republic, earning three corner kicks in the opening 15 minutes. Koal Williams made a save for Republic in that stretch, and two more shots missed the goal.
Angel Urquiza forced a save in the 12th minute, Kaden Fisher put one over the bar in the 18th, and Josh Hart got a shot on goal in the 24th to earn the Tigers their first corner.
Republic came out strong in the second half, taking three shots and earning three corner kicks in the space of 71 seconds. The Tigers finished with nine corners to Summit Christian’s five.
Redman was denied in the 49th minute, Hart in the 70th, Bo Claxton in the 73rd and Redman again in the 74th. Cruz had a shot saved in the 79th minute before completing the game-winner later.
Williams made three saves in the second half, two of them 14 seconds apart, and Republic defenders blocked seven shots on the day, with Maddox Aldridge and Fisher blocking two apiece. Summit Christian finished with 10 shots, four of them on goal, and was whistled for 17 fouls to Republic’s 11.
The win is Republic’s second in a row decided by a player’s first varsity goal. Dylan Garrison scored his first on Thursday to beat Northwest (Cedar Hill).
Williams finished with four saves and the shutout, Republic’s second in a row and its third of the season. The Tigers are 5-3, have won three straight, and host Springfield Central tonight.
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