Rattlers Win 1-0 and Lost 1-0

Fresno, California -Rattlers F.C. Completed their Pre-season games Saturday in Fresno, California. The Rattlers faced
two college teams, West Hills College out of Lemoore California and Fresno Pacific College. The Rattlers found
themselves on both ends of the results. Beating
West Hills 1-0 and lost to Fresno an hour later by the same
score. Both games where played at Fresno Pacific College
Two games back to back was tough on the newly
formed NPSL team but it was good because it gave Head
Coach Jarrod Cline the opportunity to see players
that where still trying to make the team. It also give Cline
the chance to see how some veterans would match up
with the newly signed players.

The Rattlers F.C. Faced West Hills College first at an
11:30 am game. The first twenty minutes of the game
saw a series of passes and a dominating possession by the Rattlers. A continuing combination of passes between
forwards Stephen Martines, Alex Harlley and Mathayo Huma kept West Hills chasing the Rattlers in their offensive zone.
The Rattlers midfield kept the West Hills team continuously giving up turnovers back to the Rattlers.
After twenty-five minutes of play a pass from Huma to Harlley, Harlley then moved around a West Hills Defender and
passed back to Huma then moved in position in front of the West Hills box and received the pass back from Huma and
fired a hard direct shot, at the keeper who quickly deflected it.
Ten minutes later The Rattlers were on another attack and had a shot from Roberto Mariscal who chest trapped a ball
from the air and got a shot off that again defected by the keeper. Mathayo Huma then got the ball and laid a quick
pass that found the feet of Forward Luis Bonuelos who came in off the bench in time to receive the pass from Huma and
fired it past a flat footed West Hills Keeper that put the Rattlers in front 1-0 and ended up the game winner. Rattlers
dominated the match with a 60% possession. 12 shots 7 on goal and between the post recording only 3 saves by Martin
Ruiz. While West Hills had 4 shots, 3 on goal scoring none.
One hour later the Rattlers F.C. took the filed again to face their host Fresno Pacific Sunbirds.
The fact that the same line up just finished a game before showed up right away as the Sunbirds came on quick and
fast against the fatigued Rattlers and just 11 minutes in to the game the Sunbirds caught the Rattlers defense pulling up
and slipped a ball through the defense and the Sunbird forward sprinted out passed the defender and quickly slid it
passed Martin Ruiz to take an early lead and what was the winning goal.

The game was played mainly in the middle of the field with almost equal possession for both teams with the Rattlers
having an the edge of possession, controlling the shots in the first half with 4 out of 5 shots on target but the Sunbirds
keeper also had four saves the first half.
The second half was not as controlling for the Rattlers with only 2 shots, keeping the Sunbirds to only one.
The Rattlers had their chases on all four on goal shots, just no luck to go with it. Martin Galvan almost had the equalizer
only to see it catch the edge of the post and bounce out.
The Rattlers wrap up the Pre-season with two wins and one loss. And now will prepare for opening day for the league
season April 23rd at Palmdale High School. They will face the F.C, Hasental at 5:00pm, gate opens at 4:00pm