Three goals in a 9-minute period of the second half helped Caldwell County rally for a 4-3 victory over Graves County in boys’ soccer action Monday at Butler Stadium in Princeton.
Colin Turmero had three goals and an assist as the Tigers survived a physical battle against the Eagles with a strong final 20 minutes.
Down 2-1 at halftime, it appeared it might not be Caldwell’s night when potential game-tying shots found the crossbar and the right post instead.
However, Caldwell finally knotted the game on a penalty kick after Graves was called for a foul away from the ball in the box.
Turmero’s perfectly-placed shot nestled just inside the right post to make it a 2-2 game in the 63rd minute.
Turmero then struck again just a minute later, speeding in from the right side and beating the goalkeeper to put Caldwell up 3-2.
Turmero assisted on the Tigers’ final goal in the 71st minute when he sent a pass from the left side across the front of the net, with Anderson Garcia finishing at the far post to give Caldwell a 4-2 advantage.
That tally proved crucial when Graves converted a penalty kick in the 78th minute to make it a one-goal game.
But the Tigers were able to hold on in the closing seconds to improve to 4-9 the season.
The Eagles are now 2-11-1.
Caldwell has won the last two matchups, but Graves leads all-time 8-3-1.
Turmero scored his first goal of the night in the 16th minute to put the Tigers up 1-0.
However, Graves countered with tallies in the 18th and 22nd minutes to get to halftime with the one-goal lead.
Grayson Harris made eight saves in the Caldwell net.
Garcia had two assists in the contest.
The Tigers are back on their home turf on Tuesday when they face Fort Campbell in the second game of a girls and boys varsity doubleheader.
