Kelsevyille falls 4-0 to RUP in pouring rain

Knights lose player to injury during league game in Santa Rosa

>> The Kelseyville Knight dropped a 4-0 North Central League I varsity boys soccer decision to Roseland University Prep on Saturday afternoon in Santa Rosa, but that loss wasn't weighing on head coach KC White's mind as much as the loss of senior Abraham Rico.

Rico, one of the Knights' top players, injured the same knee that sidelined him 16 months ago when he suffered an ACL tear.

“He was nervous coming into the season because of that,” White said. “We're just hoping the injury isn't too bad. It's his senior year and these are his final games, so I feel bad for him. We're all thinking about him.”

The Kelseyville-RUP game took place on Sonoma Academy High School's allweather field, which turned out to be a blessing given that the game was played in the pouring rain

“I checked the weather forecast for Santa Rosa and it wasn't supposed to rain until after the game,”

White said.

Getting used to the speed of the artificial surface also took a bit of doing, according to White, who said the Knights spent the first half playing into the wind, which didn't help matters.

RUP scored three times in the first half, the first goal coming on a wind-aided 40yard shot that went over the head of Kelseyville's keeper. RUP also caught a bit of a break on its third goal, a header that went over the keeper's head and struck the crossbar before ricocheting into the net.

RUP managed just one goal in the second half as Kelseyville's defense stiffened. “We played much more aggressively in the second half. I was really pleased with how we played in the second half,” White said.

While Kelsevyille (1-3-1 league, 6-4-1 overall) failed to reach the scoreboard, White said the game was much closer than the final score indicates.

One standout was freshman wing Sebastian Cacho, according to White.

“I felt like he was getting up and down the field when we needed it,” White said. “He helped keep us in the game.”

Kelseyville is on the road again Tuesday to play St. Helena at 5:30 p.m.