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Nine-match winning streak comes to a close
Seahorses open regular season by dropping contest to Fresno Fuego
 LA MIRADA, Calif. (May 6, 2007) – Sturdy defense and goals near the end of the first and second halves propelled the Fresno Fuego to a 2-0 victory against the Southern California Seahorses on Sunday in the Seahorses’ regular-season opener in the USL Premier Development League.
The loss snapped a nine-match winning streak in regular-season play by the Seahorses, dating back to last season.
The Seahorses (0-1-0) are defending champions of the PDL’s Southwest Division, but they struggled to mount offensive pressure against the Fuego (1-1-0) at La Mirada High School’s Goodman Stadium. Their best chances came in the middle of the second half, when crosses by Conan Hawkins and John Lee found forward Jared Thornton in front of the goal, but Fresno goalkeeper Alex Lloyd stopped Thornton’s first shot and Thornton was unable to direct a header on the net the second time.
Midfielder Jordan Arias took a free kick from 20 yards in the 76th minute, but Lloyd knocked it away.
By that time, Fresno led, 1-0, on a goal in the 45th minute by Raul Rivera. Fresno’s Orlando Ramirez had stolen a pass at midfield and drew Seahorses goalkeeper Greg Larson away from the goal, dropping a pass behind the defense to Rivera, who had an open net from 8 yards on the right side.
Larson made a diving save of a point-blank shot in the 54th minute to keep the Seahorses within striking distance. Fresno retreated into a defensive posture the rest of the half, then sprung forward Pablo Campos on a breakaway in the 88th minute. Campos scored from 15 yards.
The Seahorses play at the San Jose Frogs on Saturday before returning home on May 19 to face the San Fernando Valley Quakes at La Mirada at 7 p.m.
The Southern California Seahorses play in the USL Premier Development League, the only national league giving elite amateur players a professional experience within United Soccer Leagues while retaining their amateur status. Founded in 1983 as a club, the Seahorses have traveled to more than 30 countries. They draw many of their players from local colleges, clubs and international soccer programs.
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