Pickens has 2 goals, assist, but Wabash beats Rochester in overtime

Brooks adds first varsity goal for Zebras

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester boys soccer coach Elmer Roque said that it’s not a 1-0 lead that can lead to an illusion of control but rather a 2-0 lead.

Against Wabash at the Brent Blacketor Memorial Sports Complex Tuesday, a 2-0 lead wasn’t a big enough cushion as the visiting Apaches rallied to win 4-3 in overtime.

Zach Pickens scored those first two goals that gave Rochester a 2-0 lead, and he later assisted on Jude Brooks’ first goal of the season.

Jude Brooks

Mitchell Shafer also had an assist for the Zebras.

“We started off strong,” Roque said. “We scored the first goal in the first 26 seconds. We had control from there. We got off to a 2-0 lead, but in the game of soccer, 2-0 leads are statistically the worst lead to have in a game because you get comfortable. You think you have control of the game, and you don’t. That’s exactly what happened tonight. We got outworked, outplayed. They deserved to win.”

But it was Jacob France who scored the game-winner in the 92nd minute to give Wabash their first lead. France finished with two goals and an assist, and Troy Guenin-Hodson and Andrew Dinkins also had goals for the Apaches.

Rochester led 2-1 at halftime. Wabash tied it before Brooks’ goal gave Rochester the lead again at 3-2.

But Guenin-Hodson scored the equalizer to tie the game again.

Wabash improved to 2-2-1 overall and 2-1 in the Three Rivers Conference. Rochester’s three-game winning streak was snapped as they fell to 3-2, 0-1.

“We have to find more,” Roque said. “There has to be more. You can’t step on cruise control and think that a 2-0 lead is enough. It’s never enough. Hopefully, they learn that from this.”