Zuniga’s Save Preserves a 0-0 Tie

For 78 minutes, Orange goalkeeper Aldo Zuniga stood nearly motionless on a damp, cold field watching his teammates try unsuccessfully to score on Foothill’s goalkeeper.

But suddenly Foothill midfielder Mike Webb broke clear of the Orange defense and Zuniga found himself alone with Webb with the game on the line. He didn’t have time to think, so he reacted. Zuniga charged 15 yards out of the goal, took the angle away from Webb and blocked Webb’s shot with his knees.

Two minutes later, third-ranked Orange had earned a hard-fought 0-0 tie with Century League rival Foothill at Orange. The tie leaves Orange (12-3-4, 4-0-2) alone in first place. Foothill (7-7-6, 1-1-4) is in fourth place, two points behind Canyon.

Zuniga said he had no choice but to go after Webb.

“That’s what I do,” said Zuniga, who made only two saves in collecting his ninth shutout. “These guys are good. I can’t stay back and wait for them to take a shot. I have to go out there and make him nervous and make him make the mistake. I went down to my knees so I could move either way. Thank God I got it.”

Foothill Coach Barry Turner wasn’t so thankful.

“We should have won it,” Turner said. “[Zuniga] did a good job of spreading himself. But any time there’s a one-on-one, the goalkeeper should lose. You have to give him credit though. He made a good save. If he hadn’t, this sideline was ready to erupt.”

Foothill was without its leading scorer, Chris Fanti, and its best defender, Lance Bletscher. Fanti has a kidney injury and Bletscher had some teeth knocked out earlier this season.

Orange midfielder Genar Lopez had a couple chances in the first half, but one shot went off the top of the crossbar and another was deflected off the crossbar by Rudner, who had six saves.