NEWS RELEASE
May 1, 2006

ROOKS RECORD WIN, DRAW ON ROAD
Undefeated Rooks Move Into First Place 

The Chico Rooks were very successful on their first road trip of the year in the Northern Conference of the National Premier Soccer League (|NPSL) as they notched a win and a tie in two games over the weekend.

Chico drew 2 – 2 with the Salinas Valley on Saturday night then crushed the Redwood City Ruckus by a score of 6-1 on Sunday afternoon.  The Rooks currently in first place with a 3 – 0 – 2 record (11 points) are the only team in the NPSL Northern Conference without a loss. 

Against Salinas on Saturday night Chico took an early lead when Mario Castillo headed in the first goal of the match in the 4^th minute on a driven cross into the Samba box by defender Josh Copeland from the left flank.  The Rooks doubled their advantage in the 21^st minute as Kevin Kuiper dished a square pass to Keith Ratzburg at the 16-yard line.  Ratzburg quickly chest trapped the feed from Kuiper and volleyed a shot over the head of Christian Matrazzi, the Samba keeper, for a 2- 0 lead at intermission. 

In the second frame play became very physical as the Samba looked to regain the momentum. In the 50^th minute, on a free kick, Ronnie Silva drove the ball to the top of the box that Chris Bessemer netted from 16 yards out to make it 2 – 1.  Salinas equalized in the 65^th minute as Joel Sanchez at the end line, with his back to the goal, sent a cross into the box Rooks box.  Defender Roger Davanger attempted to clear the ball but inadvertently redirected it into the goal to make it 2 -2.

Chico had several chances in the final 25 minutes to tally the game winner but Matrazzi made several spectacular saves for the Samba. “That keeper (Matrazzi) made a couple world to class saves in the second half tonight,” said Rooks head coach David Stahl, “I don’t know how he got there, they had pace and were well placed.” 

On Sunday the Rooks again took an early lead as Ratzburg beat two Ruckus defenders on the left flank and sent a cross to Brett Williams who drove a one touch shot past Brad Byrns, the Ruckus keeper, from 12 yards out in the 4^th minute.  In the 20^th minute midfielder Joe Munoz lofted a cross from the right side to the far post that Calum Robertson buried into the back of the net with a volley from 12 yards out past a helpless Byrns to make it 2 – 0.

The Ruckus halved the Rooks advantage in the 23^rd minute as Sylvester Carr half volleyed a corner kick to he upper left corner to make it 2 – 1.  In the 37^th minute, on a free kick Donnie Ribaudo sent a cross to the far post that Robertson headed in from 8 yards out for his second goal of the match.  Four minutes before halftime, on a free kick in the center of the park, Ribaudo curved a shot to the right corner of the goal over the Ruckus wall to make it 4 – 1 Chico

Chico netted two more strikes in the second frame.  In the 50^th minute Mario Castillo pushed a through ball to Ratzburg on the right side.  Ratzburg rifled a 16-yard blast to the lower left corner for his 4^th goal in five games.  In the 76^th minute Ribaudo sent a thru ball to Luis Orellana on the left side who deftly placed a shot just inside the far post to make it 6 –1.   It was Orellana’s 80^th career goal for the Rooks.

The first place Chico Rooks return home this weekend to battle the Sonoma County Sol on Friday night at 7:30 at the soccer Stadium on the Chico State campus.  The game will count as both a NPSL regular season match and a US Open Cup qualifier.

  | Back |