Tolleson's boys soccer team has proven to be stingy in the latter stages of the 2015-2016 season. The Wolverines like the feel and the ring of 1-0 victories.

No. 12 Tolleson stretched its late-season winning streak to three Wednesday night by edging fifth-seeded Mesa High, 1-0, in a Division I first-round match at Jackrabbit Stadium. Tolleson's last four wins -- four of five overall -- have been by 1-0 scores.

Moises Palacios's goal in the 54th minute -- one of only three shots Tolleson attempted in the second half  -- was the difference. Tolleson (10-6-2) moves on to the quarterfinals on Saturday (Feb. 6) to face No. 4 Gilbert at Gilbert at 2 p.m.. Gilbert advanced by beating No. 13 Liberty, 5-0. Mesa finished a strong season 11-4-1

Palacios has been the guy Tolleson relies on for offense as its stryker. Palacios was lonely much of the night, but his third good chance was the one that clicked. The match was tied at the half, but Mesa came out fired up and more in its style. The Jackrabbits got off three good shots in the first eight minutes, but missed a couple and a third was deflected  by keeper Jesus Lozano. Mesa kept pressing later in the half, but one of the team's captain's -- Jose Barreras -- was able to clear a long ball that Palacios caught up to, beating the defense and getting the angle from about 20 yards out. He struck in true connecting  far post.

"Just before this season started our 20-goal scorer the last two years decided not to come out," Tolleson coach Ben Andronic said. "Moises is a midfielder, but we moved him to stryker because of his speed. He's been a little frustrated not handling the ball much. He got the one we needed.....

"We've needed to rely on on our defense. They've stayed composed most of the time of late."

Mesa fired off 12 shots in the second half and even in the final three minutes had good chances go awry. A header on a corner kick in the 77th minute was right at Lozano. A minute later Mesa ripped a shot that caromed off the cross bar.

"The first half we didn't play our game," Mesa coach TJ Hagen said. "We let them dictate. The second half we dictated from the start. We were letting shots fly off the net. Just couldn't get one to go in.

"We knew Tolleson was good. Knowing the teams in this, there are no easy games. But somehow you have to get that first one."

Andronic noted his team is on a bit of a "revenge tour". Tolleson's last two victories of the regular season were against Sandra Day O'Connor, which eliminated Tolleson last year in the first round at state. Tolleson followed that avenging a 2014 opening-round loss to Desert Vista. This is the 12th year in a row Tolleson has made the playoffs either in 5A, 5A-II or D-I.

For Mesa the loss keeps it winless in postseason since 2009, the last time Mesa made a run in postseason to the D-I semifinals.