It is tough enough to beat the East Union soccer team without giving the Lancers a goal to start the game.

Two minutes into a Valley Oak League contest with Manteca at Dino Cunial Field, East Union’s Bella Cardenas blasted a shot from 35 yards out that was originally defended, but a Buffaloes player ended up knocking the ball in the net for the goal. East Union added another goal to remain undefeated with a 2-0 win.

“An own goal is not how we wanted to start the game,” Manteca coach Justin Coenenberg said. “We didn’t have a good first half but we had a better second half.”

The Buffaloes (6-1-1 VOL, 15-2-1) took 18 shots on goal and Lancers goalie Anna Wood blocked every attempt.

“We could have had even more shots,” Coenenberg said. “But instead of taking some shots when we had them, we waited to try to get a better shot and East Union would recover to stop the shot.”

In the 28th minute Maddie Ysalva headed in an assist from Jenna Zuniga to give the Lancers (8-0, 11-0) a 2-0 lead they would hold for the rest of the game.

“It was a very good game,” East Union coach Victor Polanco said. “Manteca never gave up and they pushed back hard the last 20 minutes of the game.”

East Union won the frosh-soph game 3-0.