Frank Orellana’s name wasn’t in the box score for Cedar Ridge’s win on Tuesday night, but it should have been.
Orellana was fouled three times in the penalty box in the first half for the Red Wolves. Each time, Gavin Hughes scored on a penalty kick. Hughes wound up with a hat trick in the first half and Cedar Ridge defeated Southern Alamance 3-1 at Red Wolves Stadium.
It was Cedar Ridge’s third consecutive win. The Red Wolves defeated Wilson Hunt 3-1 on Saturday at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. On Tuesday night, Cedar Ridge scored six goals in the second half to defeat Bartlett Yancey 6-1 in Yanceyville.
“Frankie had great balls play to him from the midfield,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Chris Walker, whose team is now 3-3-1. “Frank did a great job controlling the ball and made a couple of plays coming in.”
Hughes opened the scoring goal on a penalty in the sixth minute after Orellana was tripped by Southern Alamance’s goalkeeper.
“The guys got focused,” said Cedar Ridge Coach Chris Walker. “They came in early today and was focused. For several games during the three losses, we had sporadic play. Last night, it carried over into tonight. That’s what we need.”
Southern Alamance’s Lucas Khorosov nearly evened the match in the 14th minute after taking a pass across the box from Dylan Myers, but Cedar Ridge goalkeeper Peter Molmar dived on the ball from the near post. Two minutes later, South Alamance’s Jose Martinez ran back on a quick counter following a Cedar Ridge corner, but his blast from 25 yards went wide.
In the 17th minute, Martinez even the match after he chipped in a cross in from Braden Mackey inside the near post.
Cedar Ridge had a free kick from 23 yards with 17:15 remaining in the first half, but Brandon Garcia’s placed the shot high.
The Red Wolves broke through for the go-ahead goal when Eduardo Garcia fed an entry pass to Orellana. It led to Orellana sending A pretty through ball to Reese Weaver, who was tripped in the box by Southern Alamance’s Cam Honeycutt. Hughes tucked the penalty kick into the left corner with 16:24 remaining in the first half to put the Red Wolves back in front.
On the subsequent kickoff, Weaver stole a pass between the centerbacks and charged in on a breakaway, but his shot from 15 yards rattled off the bottom of the crossbar. The Red Wolves nearly added when Eh Tah played a gorgeous through ball to Hughes, whose shot was stopped at the box by Southern Alamance’s Edwin Lopez, who dove on the ball before it could leave Hughes’ right foot.
Cedar Ridge’s Noel Garcia drew another penalty in the box off a throw in from Eduardo Garcia-Sanchez. Hughes notched the hat trick with another goal from the spot with 3:49 remaining to put CRHS ahead 3- 1.
Southern Alamance opened the second half with a free kick from 20 yards, but Loyola’s shot was stopped by a sliding Molmar. With 32:43 remaining, Myers earned a penalty after being brought down in the box, but Molmar stopped the shot diving to his left.
Khorosov blasted a free kick with. 26:34 remaining from 23 yards, but Molmar made another diving save.
With 13:05 remaining, Erickson Thole’s header off a cross from Garcia Sanchez sailed over the net.