Mauricio Ruiz Shines as Dundee-Crown Crushes Jacobs 4-0

UPDATE: Junior midfielder Mauricio Ruiz scored twice as Dundee-Crown dominated Jacobs with a decisive 4-0 victory in the Fox Valley Conference match on July 11, 2023. The Chargers’ aggressive play and quick passing dismantled Jacobs’ defense early in the game.

In a stunning display, Dundee-Crown found the net twice within the first 10 minutes. Ruiz opened the scoring just four minutes into the match with a left-footed strike from outside the box, placing it perfectly into the bottom right corner. He doubled the lead in the ninth minute after connecting with a pass from junior midfielder Arturo Flores.

“That’s how we like to play,” Ruiz stated. “We play quick and look for those gaps. We pressured them and keeping them under pressure helped us get that first goal.”

With the win, Dundee-Crown improved to 12-4-3 overall and 4-2-1 in the FVC, moving them into third place in the conference standings. Coach Rey Vargas praised his team’s performance, emphasizing their strategy to break down Jacobs’ defense.

The Chargers continued their onslaught as senior Antony Rodriguez found the net in the 37th minute. Just before halftime, midfielder Jorge Pacheco scored from near midfield, extending the lead to 4-0 and leaving Jacobs reeling.

Jacobs, now struggling with five consecutive losses, managed only a single shot on goal until the second half. Coach Colin Brice acknowledged the team’s lack of energy during their warm-up, which translated into a poor first half performance.

“Going into halftime down four goals, it’s tough to dig ourselves out of that hole,” Brice said. “We cannot have a warm-up like that, especially for a conference match against our rival.”

Looking ahead, Dundee-Crown will face Prairie Ridge on the road this Thursday, followed by a match against Burlington Central early next week. Meanwhile, Jacobs will host Crystal Lake South later this week, hoping to turn their fortunes around.

The Chargers’ impressive victory is a reminder of their potential as they push towards the end of the regular season, while Jacobs will need to regroup quickly to salvage their remaining matches.