The Mesquite boys soccer team knows how to rebound. The Wildcats bounced back from their first power-point game loss last Friday by stretching Gilbert to a shootout and prevailing, 3-2 (5-3), in a 5A Central Region match at Gilbert High.

Mesquite keeper Devin Foy stopped Gilbert's third penalty kick try in the shootout and capped the victory by scoring on the Wildcats final PK that ended the match.

"I don't like deciding matches in penalty kicks, but it is what it is," Mesquite coach Rich Esperti said. "When we play Gilbert it always seems like its decided by one goal. We've had a hard time beating them here. I think this is the first time we have in the nine years I've been coaching here." 

Mesquite (10-2, 3-1 region) had shown its resiliency in matches several times this season. The Wildcats trailed Mountain Pointe by two goals earlier this year and came back to win and did again against Skyline. They weren't able to win after trailing Mountain View last week, but regained their touch in bouncing back from an early 1-0 deficit to the Tigers on Tuesday.

Gilbert's Nate Rice scored off a throw in in the 11th minute and most of the rest of the half the Tigers kept the pressure in Mesquite's end. On one of the few chances Mesquite got in the 35th minute, midfielder Doug Gillette evened the match on a header.

Gillette later in the match cleared a Gilbert chance that likely would have tied the match earlier than the Tigers eventually did.

"This was his best game of the season," Esperti said. He gave us a boost in the middle tonight. If he plays that way the rest of the way it's going to mean a lot."

Mesquite scored its second goal in the 50th minute when leading scorer Tyler Geske tallied on a very athletic kick from about 20 ayrds out for a 2-1 lead. Gilbert (11-3-2, 3-1) continued to push the rest of the half as it did the first half and finally tied the match in the 70th minute on a goal by Kahlin Gonzalez.

Gilbert faces another test on Friday in its next match with Mountain View while Mesquite goes home for a non-region match with Casa Grande. Mesquite, Gilbert and Mountain View all reside in the top-10 of the current 5A-I power-point rankings.