ALBUQUERQUE — Thursday's Class A-AAA boys soccer quarterfinals between Las Vegas Robertson and Portales shaped up to be a clash between the irresistible force and the immovable object.

Playing the immovable object was the third-seeded Rams' defense, featuring goalkeeper Juan Tinajero. The senior came in allowing just 1.26 goals a game, with 117 saves. He'd given up only 19 goals all season.

Lining up against him were senior Keen Martinez and junior Jalen Martinez. The Martinezes scored 25 and 20 goals, respectively, this season for the No. 6 seed Cardinals.

In the end, the immovable force won as Portales (16-3) took a 2-0 decision to advance to Friday's semifinals.

"They're a pretty solid team," Cardinals head coach Clarence Montoya. "They're pretty physical, too. We don't have much of a bench, either, and we're kind of young and small. Their physicality kind of wore us out."

After a scoreless first half, Portales broke through when sophomore midfielder Jesus Melendez lofted in a shot from 40 yards out that caught Cardinals' goalkeeper Justin Bustos off his line in the 41st minute.

The Rams sewed it up in the 61st minute when freshman David Viera took a pass in the 18-yard box and beat Bustos with a hard shot.

Robertson (13-6) advanced to the quarterfinals in its first state tournament appearance by cruising past No. 11 Santa Fe Preparatory 3-0 in the first round.

Against Portales Thursday, the Cardinals never really got their offensive attack going as the Rams concentrated on shutting things down. They kept Robertson without a shot in the first half while producing seven shots of their own.

Keen Martinez said the Rams' defense proved too tenacious on Thursday.

"They were just double teaming both me and Jalen, taking away our passes and everything," he said. "They weren't double teaming us in the first game. They were ready for us."

Keen Martinez said the Cardinals should be back and ready for a state tournament run next season.

"We did good overall," he said of this season. "We had a lot of talent. It was our first time at state so we're pretty happy with that. I wont' be back but Chach (Brandon Trujillo) and Jalen will carry the team next year so they'll be pretty good."