Storm Settles in First Round 3-2

Alex Burkevics Storm keeper

Abel Hindjosa- defender

   Oakland, California- The Game was a typical playoff game with hard aggressive play on both sides, with each side waiting on one mistake in play so they can take advantage of it. It was the Storm striking first in the 15th minute as they had done for much of this season. Martin Galvan brought the ball down the middle of the pitch, seeing midfielder Andes Bueno on the left side, Galvan made a pass to Bueno while he was on the run.
Bueno received the ball at his feet and scored to put the team up by one. However just five minutes later the Ambassadors wanted to show why they were the Northern Conference winners and in the 21st minute Ambassador midfielder picked off a loose ball in midfield and from 25 yards out tied the score with a shot that went by Storm keeper Alex Burkevics.The Storm responded to the goal with an attack of there own the lead to a foul and a restart 20 yards to the left of the Bay Area goal. The ball went around the wall and was picked up by Martin Galvan who fed the feet of defender and player of                                                    
the game Abel Hindjosa who put his team up by one. That was the second goal for the Storm in the first half and the first 45 ended with a 2-1 lead for the visitors over the Ambassadors.
The Second half is what the Ambassadors needed to regroup. The second half was more intense as time was running out for the Ambassadors and they continued to apply pressure, until the 66th minute of play while defending in the box a foul was called against Storm's midfielder Matt Shaxton that lead to a penalty kick for the Bay Area Ambassadors and that was enough to get the lead and what ended up the wining goal.  The
Ambassadors ended up knocking the Storm out of the 2012 playoffs in the first round of the Western Regional Playoffs. The Ambassadors will go on to face the Sonoma County SOL next week as the Sol knocked off the Southern Conference Champions; the San Diego Flash in a 4-3 win in Penalty kicks. .

 The Santa Clarita Storm ends the season with a 9-3-3 record, 2nd in the South West Conference to the Flash
and is listed by ESPN LA (Scott French) as Sixth in all of Southern California Soccer.SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MEN'S TOP SOCCER RANKINGS:
1. Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) 7-10-2
2. Chivas USA (MLS) 5-7-5
3. Ventura County Fusion (PDL) 10-2-2
4. Los Angeles Blues (USL Pro) 5-8-2
5. San Diego Flash (NPSL) 11-1-2 
6. FC Santa Clarita Storm (NPSL) 8-3-3 
7. Fullerton Rangers (NPSL) 8-4-2
8. Los Angeles Missioners (PDL) 4-4-7
9. Orange County Blue Star (PDL) 3-6-5
10. Southern California Seahorses (PDL) 3-8-3
11. San Diego Boca (NPSL) 5-6-3
12. FC Hasental (NPSL) 4-8-2
13. Pali Blues (PDL) 2-9-3