Varsity Girls Soccer

Eagles lose another goalie
Undefeated Jaguars roll on, 6-0

The undefeated, untied, and unscored upon Cooperative girls varsity soccer team racked up its third decisive win of the season, 6-0, over Christian Learning Tuesday on their home field.
Jaguar eighth grader Tania Landivar added four goals to her league-leading season total. Aldana Roda and Alexia Handal also scored for the Jaguars, who have now defeated each of the other teams in the league, all by wide margins.
The Jaguars led at the half two to nothing on two early Landivar goals, but the game was still competitive well into the second half when Christian Learning goalie Alejandra Valencia fell awkwardly on her left hip while she and Jaguar seventh grader Giovanna Varalta scrambled for the ball. Valencia had to be assisted from the field and taken by car to a hospital. The latest word, however, is that her injury is not serious, and she will probably be able to return to action.
Earlier this season Christian Learning had lost its first string goalie, Whitney Belovicz, when she dislocated her thumb while making a save. After Valencia's injury the Eagles had to bring in a junior varsity player with little goalie experience.
The new goalie was immediately put to the test as Landivar ran underneath a long, downfield pass right in front of the goal and whacked the ball into the net with her left foot, without missing a stride, making the score 3-0.
Minutes later Handal unleashed her high, bouncing shot that hopped over the new goalie's head and into the goal, making it 4-0.
Roda's goal involved an adroit piece of team play between her and Landivar. Landivar had the ball in front of the goal inside the penalty box, but found her path blocked by defenders. Landivar whirled and passed the ball back to Roda, who was well outside the penalty box, but who then unleashed a tremendous kick that skipped into the left hand side of the net on one bounce.
The Jaguar defense had little trouble containing the Eagle attack, which clearly missed the now-graduated offensive stars of last year, until the last minutes of the game. At that point the Eagles unleashed a comprehensive attack on the Jaguar goal that included a pair of corner kicks, but could not quite find the right scoring combination.
Then Landivar put the icing on the Jaguar cake as she took the ball at midfield, dribbled through the Eagle defense and scored the final goal just as time expired, making the score 6-0.

Griffins hit goal post six times
Lady Knights hang on for 1-0 win

The Cambridge varsity girls soccer team made a single piece of intrepid derring-do by ninth grader Camila Johnson stand up for a 1-0 victory over International at the Griffins' field Tuesday.
It was the first victory for the Cambridge girls since 2006, when they were led by their current coach, Karla Ross. They did have two ties last year.
Tthe victory did not come without a great deal of angst for both coach and team. Ross juggled her line-up after Johnson's goal so as to have four fullbacks, but International continued to attack relentlessly, hitting the goal posts an estimated six times during the rest of the game. "But thank God none of them went in," said Ross.
To give the Cambridge team credit, it also had two balls hit the crossbar.
Johnson's goal was a thing of beauty. Johnson, an incredibly durable player who roves as she wishes in both ends of the field, picked up the ball in her defensive end. She then dribbed down the left-hand side of the field to the corner, turned right, and continued dribbling the ball past two International defenders and virtually into the goal.
The game started slowly, with both teams clearly feeling the effects of the long layoff. However, International seemed the stronger team. Its kicks were carrying further, and its forwards had frequent scoring opportunities that they couldn't quite convert into goals.
About halfway through the half, however, Johnson took off on her foray, after which Cambridge went into its four-fullback "prevent defense," which slowed but did not shut off the International offensive effort. "They just kept attacking," conceded Ross.

JV Girls Soccer

UNSTOPPABLE FORCE, IMMOVABLE OBJECT -- Eaglette Luciana Beams (19) tries to shoot against Jaguar defender. Daniel Beams, Christian Learning

Jaguar kittens beat little Griffins, 4-0

Jaguar sixth grader Giovanna Varalta scored three goals to pace the little Jaguars to a 4-0 win over Christian Learning Tuesday on the Jaguars' field.

Varalta and Paola Querejazu scored in the first half to give Cooperative a 2-0 advantage at the intermission. Varalta then added two more scores in the concluding stanza.

Varsity Boys Volleyball

International wins 25-10, 25-15
Griffins have no problem with Knights

The International boys varsity volleyball team breezed to an easy win over Cambridge Tuesday in their own gym, winning the first set 25-10 and then having only slightly more difficulty winning the second, 25-15.
They now lead the league at the halfway point with a 3-0 record.
It needs to be said that Cambridge did not play that badly. Many of the points were decided only after long rallies that were well played on both sides.
In one exchange Cambridge made two sensational saves by kicking upward balls that had rebounded off the net.
But International played more steadily, making fewer errors. The Griffin players were loose, smiling, clearly enjoying themselves and their domination of the game. The victory cheers after each point they won were sharp and clear, and echoed through the gym.

Second set is a squeaker
Eagles win 2-0 over resilient Jaguars

The Christian Learning varsity boys volleyball team had a relatively easy time dispatching Cooperative in the opening set, 25-16, at the Jaguars gym Tuesday, but had to battle point for point in the second set before winning 25-23 to take the match.
The Jaguars trailed in the closing stages of the second set, but closed to a single point at 23-22, and the final three points were all intensely hard-fought.

JV Boys Volleyball

Griffin JV easily beats Cambridge

The International School junior varsity boys volleyball team had little trouble disposing of a talented but mistake-prone Cambridge team Tuesday in the Griffins' gym.
The Little Griffins took the first set 25-10, and the second 25-14.


Jaguar JV foils Eagle comeback bid

The Cooperative junior varsity boys volleyball team defeated the previously undefeated Christian Learning team in straight sets Tuesay in their home gym.
The little Eagles were clearly suffering more from the long layoff during the first set, which the Jaguars won 25-9. Christian Learning rallied in the second set and had its chances to even the match at a game apiece before falling 25-23.

Let the Games Resume!

League unveils revised schedule;
A full season will be played

The SCISL will resume playing Tuesday, Sept. 30, when the games originally scheduled for Sept. 9 will be played.
The new schedule will add playing dates on Friday and Saturday of the next two weeks to fit in all of the games on the original schedule. The playoff schedule will remain unchanged.
So on Tuesday Christian Learning will be playing at Cooperative, and Cambridge will be at International. Girls Soccer and Boys volleyball will be played Tuesday, with both varsity and juniors varsity teams in action.
Thursday, Oct. 2, as would be normal, the same schools clash in boys soccer and girls volleyball.
Then on Friday and Saturday, October 3 and 4, the games originally scheduled for Sept. 16 and 18 will be played. The matches scheduled for Friday begin at 3:30, the normal weekday starting time. The Saturday contests will start at 9 a.m.
The same pattern, more or less, will be followed the next week, with games again scheduled for Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday -- with one exception. International and Cambridge will not play any games on Friday, Oct. 10. They will play all their matches originally scheduled for Oct. 7 and 9 (the final games of the season) on Saturday, Oct. 11, starting at 9 a.m.
Are you following this readers? If not, the schedule at right will be updated by later this eventing, Sept. 29.

No games this week

Civil disturbances
force postponements

The current violence in and around Santa Cruz has forced the SCISL to postpone this week's games to future dates yet to be determined.
For readers not in Bolivia: An account of current events in Santa Cruz is available at santacruzperspective.blogspot.com.

Varsity Boys Soccer

GOING, GOING . . . . -- Griffing goalie Joan Voss leaps to stop Juan Alfredo Abuawad's first half goal Jonatan Muñoz, International

Late goal by Sanchez
Knights edge Eagles 3-2

By Trevor Reed
Christian Learning
The Cambridge boys varsity soccer team beat Christian Learning 3-2 in an exciting defensive battle Thursday during which the lead see-sawed back and forth between the two teams.
The game, which was played on the International field because Christian Learning's was too wet to play on, started off with many good attempts from both teams.
The scoring started with a good shot by Cambridge's Martin Pacor, who came in from the left side and blasted the ball into the right corner.
Not long after, Eagle Alex Apodaca took a great shot from just outside the goalie box that bounced off the right post. Not a minute had passed before Esteban Eguez was given a great pass, and he shot it right past the Cambridge goalie, tying the game up at 1-1.
Later, a diving header from Danny Canaviri of Christian Learning was barely blocked. The first half ended 1-1.
The Eagles started strong in the second half, getting many shots off, but Cambridge goalie Juan Manuel Salas would not let any get past. At the other end of the field the Christian Learning goalie, Alejandro Garcia, also made many great saves, one off of a sharp shot from close in, and then a jump to catch a high ball deflected toward the goal on a corner kick.
A foul by Christian Learning on Pacor in the goalie box led to a penalty shot by Knight star Junior Sanchez. He nailed it, making the score 2-1 for the Knights.
Soon after, an Eagle free kick that bounced around in the goalie box was kicked into the goal by Eguez, for his second goal of the game. The score was then tied at 2-2.
Both teams had very good defense, and one shot by Christian Learning from right in front of the goal was blocked, not by the goalie, but by one of the defenders. There was also a near-goal on a corner kick by the Eagles, but the Eagles couldn't seem to get the ball past the defense of Cambridge.
Meanwhile, Cambridge's Sanchez tried several times to take the ball through the entire Eagle defense, as he had several times the week before against Cooperative. Time and again the Eagle defense stripped the ball from the Knight forward, who was clearly feeling frustrated.
But finally, with about two minutes left, he succeeded, scoring on a strong shot after somehow getting the ball past two Eagle defenders who sought to block his way.
The Eagles tried to battle back, and two close shots were blocked by the Cambridge goalie. When the dust settled, the score stood at 3-2 in favor of Cambridge, giving the Knights sole possession of first place.

Vasquez scores twice
Jaguars prevail 3-1 over Griffins

The Cooperative boys varsity soccer team ground out a 3-1 win over International Thursday in a high-energy game where both team's goalies were given plenty to do.
International scored first when a free kick by Griffin Daniel Baldivieso popped loose from the grip of Jaguar goalie Rafael Mansilla, the goalie's only major miscue of the afternoon. Baldivieso, it needs to be said, has demonstrated a knack for firing shots that pop out of goalies' hand. The tall Griffin forward seems to be able to put some extra torque on the ball.
Cooperative evened the score a short while later when Juan Alfredo Abuawad cut loose a long shot from the right side of the goal that got to the upper left corner before Griffin goalie Joan Voss could.
The half ended with the score 1-1.
The action started at a fast and furious pace in the second half -- and didn't let up. Coop came close twice, with one shot hitting the crossbar. (International had hit the bar once in the first half.) Another shot bounced over Voss' head, but the Griffin goalie was able to get back quickly and swat the ball away with his fully extended left arm just as it was about to break the plane of the goal.
International was not letting any grass grow under its feet either, and at one point a Griffin attacker broke all the way through the Jaguar defense, only to shoot wide of the goal.
The tie was broken when Jaguar Jose Manuel Vasquez artfully arced a shot from about 20 meters out on the left of the goal that went well over Voss' head and into the goal on one bounce.
The Griffins poured on the pressure at this point, keeping the ball in the Jaguar end and challenging goalie Mansilla with shot after shot.
It was almost dark at this point, and the lights were on. Smoke from a fire in a nearby lot rolled over the field creating a strange atmospheric that gave the game the feel of a battle scene.
Then sudddenly Cooperative was able to lift the siege and clear the ball upfield. Vasquez was once again to be the man of the moment as he took possession a little past midfield and scampered toward the goal, pausing hardly at all to let loose a huge shot that ripped into the right side of the net, putting the Jaguars ahead 3-1.
The Griffins did not go quietly into the smoky night, and remounted their attack in the closing minutes. A free kick by Griffin Mario Rohrman was right on target, but Mansilla once again was there to gather it in.
Cooperative didn't sit on its lead either, and got off two good dangerous-appearing attacks that were thwarted by Voss.
Jaguar Coach Orlando Taja was elated by the outcome. "I was proud of my team," he said. "They played with resolve."
The Griffins, who are the defending champions, now have a tie and a loss on the year, bringing to mind the 0-3 start Cambridge had last year when that team was the defending champion. Could there be a championship "jinx?" That's just one of many questions to be resolved when Cambridge and International clash next week. Cooperative plays at Christian Learning.

Boys JV Soccer

Little Jaguars overwhelm Griffins, 9-1

The Cooperative junior varsity boys soccer team scored an impressive 9-1 victory Thursday afternoon on their home field over an International team that did not play badly.The Jaguars lead 4-0 at the half. All told, they got six goals from Santiago Paz, two from Sebastian Zankiz, and one from Juan Carlos Laguna.
Lucas De Couloun scored International's goal.
Paz, now has nine goals on the season and more than any other player in the league, varsity or junior varsity, male or female.He showed both outstanding speed and finesse on his goals.
However, if a spectator were shuttling back and forth between the volleyball and soccer games, as this reporter was, and missed several of the Jaguar goals, the game appeared to be proceeding on a much more even basis than the final score indicated.

Junior Knights dominate Eagles, 7-2

By Trevor Reed
Christian Learning
The Cambridge junior varsity soccer team defeated an undermanned Christian Learning team 7-2 Thursday.
The junior Eagles had only ten players available to play in the game, but they initiated the scoring in the game, and the teams were tied 2-2 at the half.
Eagle Esteban Sosa got the first goal in the game after the Cambridge goalie failed to clear the ball from his own goalie box. After several close scoring attempts from both teams, a perfect pass set up Cambridge's first goal.
Some more nice shots came from Cambridge, but none of them were on target. Finally, one of the Cambridge shots went in after slipping away from the Christian Learning goalie. Not long after, Felipe Arce scored a goal for Christian Learning to tie the game at 2-2.
The second half started off with a goal from Cambridge and went downhill for the Eagles from there.
Another loose ball was tapped in for Cambridge, making the score 4-2. A strong shot got into the goal before the Eagle goalie could get to it. A fast shot on the ground, and then a high kick bounced over the Eagle goalies and into the goal. That brought the score to 7-2.
The Knights got two goals each from Diego Melgar, Gustavo Denis, and Anthony Salvatierra. Herless Diaz scored one goal to round out the Cambridge scoring skein.

Varsity Girls Volleyball

Jaguar counterattack beats Griffins

The Cooperative girls varsity volleyball team defeated International in an epic three-set contest worthy of a championship.
The game represented the International girls first loss since 2006. The Jaguars got out in front of the Griffins in the first set, leading at one point 20-13, but then seemed to contract a bad case of the Nervous Nellies, while the Griffins played with their accustomed precision.
The Griffins gradually erased the Jaguar lead, gaining a tie at 22-22, and then maintaining that momentum to win the opening set 25-23.
The second seemed to be following a strikingly similar pattern, as Cooperative first forged ahead to a 21-13 lead, then watched as International began to claw its way back. (The Jaguars had also blown a big lead in the opening set of their opening match against Cambridge.)

_____________
GOING UP! -- Jaguar Cecelia Aponte (6) attempts a spike as Griffin Ariane Nostas (13) goes up to block. Jonatan Muñoz, International

As in the opening set, Cooperative began committing unforced errors. They were called for a carry. There were several mis-hit balls, and an unnecessay detour or two into the net, nullifying returns.
Jaguar coach Misty Skidmore called a time out and told her team they had to stop letting mistakes "stick" with them. "You have to shake it off," she told them.
Her players took her literally and started shaking themselves on the court. It was silly, but it broke the tension -- and it worked. The Griffins got the score to 22-18, but then the shaking Jaguars put the game away, 25-18.
Staying nice and loose in the final set, the Jaguars won handily 15-7 to win the match, 2-1.
Generally the points were not decided by long rallies as in past years, when the ball might pass back and forth across the net as many as 30 times. This year the style of play seems to have changed, and instead of "just getting it back," players seemed to be trying on each passage over the net to put the ball away.
There weren't that many pure spikes in which players tried to hammer the ball into the floor. Few of the players were getting up high enough to do that. Instead the weapon of choice seemed the slashing shot aimed at the opposite corner.
The shots were often either unreturnable -- or out -- resulting in shorter exchanges.
The Jaguars got steady play from senior Alexia Handal, and excellent serving from 10th grader Florencia Arnera, a new player inthe volleyball program.

Girl Eagles down Cambridge, 2-0

The Christian Learning girls varsity volleyball team posted a straight sets victory over Cambridge Thursday, but had to survive a scare in the opening set.
The Eagle girls got ahead early 16-7, and seemed to have the game wrapped up neatly with the count at 24-8.
However, at that point the Knights' most accurate server, Ana Saavedra Banzer, went to the service line and seemed to stabilize her team. Cambridge ran off 13 straight points, bringing the score to 24-23. Besides Saavedra Banzer's serving, Cambridge benefited from some great running saves by Maria Fornaguera, a new player on the team.
But at that point Saavedra Banzer finally missed, and the Eagles finally got the set 25-23.
The second set started off on an even basis, but the Eagles were playing more as a team, while Cambridge seemed to be racked with internal dissension. Christian Learning was able to prevent any major counter-surge by Cambridge in this set, and won 25-13.

JV Girls Volleyball

Eaglettes beat girl Knights, 2-0

The Christian Learning junior varsity girls team defeated Cambridge easily on Thursday afternoon, winning in straights sets in a game played at the International gym.
The Eaglettes took both sets by the same 25-15 score.


Jaguar kits squeeze by Griffins

The Cooperative and International junior varsity girls volleyball teams fought almost exactly evenly, point for point, but the Jaguars ultimately squeezed out two two-point wins.
The Jaguar girls won the first set 25-23, after the teams had tied repeatedly, including ties at 20-all and 23-all, with the two teams taking turns holding the lead.
The second set got, if anything, even closer before Cooperative was able to win 26-24.
Tania Landivar and Stephanie Salto were outstanding for the Jaguars. Sixth grader Tamara Paz was also impressive.

Varsity Girls Soccer

BREAKING FREE -- Jaguar Tania Landivar leaves defenders scattered in her wake. Carlos Paredes, Cooperative

Jaguars overwhelm Griffins, 9-1

The Cooperative girls varsity soccer team exploded for six second half goals en route to a 9-1 victory over International Tuesday afternoon at Cooperative.
Eighth grader Tania Landivar, already atop the list of top scorers, notched four more goals in the game, to give her a total of eight for the season. Darinka Matkovic, a senior, scored three times for the Jaguars, and freshman Fernanda Vaca Diez, added two more. But perhaps the most interesting thing about the game was that International led 1-0 for most of the first half, and it seemed as if an upset of the defending league champion Jaguars in the making.

__________

READY, AIM, . . . . -- Jaguar Darinka Matkovic prepares to fire on Griffin goal.

Jonatan Muñoz, International

The International goal came on an unlikely series of events. A Jaguar free kick that was supposed to clear the ball upfield bounced instead off Fabiana Murillo right where the word "GRIFFINS" was emblazoned across her shorts, and caromed into the center of the field.
The Griffin offense got off a series of shots, and junior Mariana Chavez finally put the ball into the goal for International.
The half was nearly ending by the time Vaca Diez corraled a rebound and scored to tie the game at 1-1. But there was enough time left for the female Jaguars to knock in two more goals as they suddenly seemed to find the range.
Tania Landivar broke through the Griffin defense to make it two to one, then teamed up with Vaca Diez to make it 3-1. For the third goal, Landivar got off a crossing shot that Vaca Diez headed into the goal.
In the second half the Jaguars poured it on, coming downfield time and again like a gathering storm, with Matkovic and Landivar breaking loose at the end to put the ball into the goal, sometimes with an artful assist from Vaca Diez.
Meanwhile the Jaguar defense stiffened and kept the ball mainly in the Griffins' half of the field.
When the smoke cleared the Jaguars had won, 9-1.

Eagles eke out 1-0 win over Knights

Eighth grader Lindsey Kehler cut loose a long hard shot from midfield near the end of the game to break a scoreless tie and give the Christian Learning girls varsity soccer team a 1-0 win over Cambridge Tuesday.
Kehler, who was listed as a junior varsity player on the pre-season roster, caught Cambridge goalie Raquel Lopez coming too far out of her goal. Kehler was playing defense at the time. Frustrated Cambridge coach Karla Ross summed it up: "My goalie made a mistake and a little Christian Learning girl hit it hard."
Up to that point the two teams had battled evenly in a game that was played on the International field because Christian Learning's is too wet to play on, and Cambridge doesn't a have a field that meets league regulations.
Cambridge, in fact, had an edge in corner kicks, and narrowly missed a goal on a free kick by Camila Johnson.

JV Girls Soccer

HERE IT COMES -- Jaguar Paola Querejazu readies a shot.
Jonatan Muñoz, International

Jaguar JV defeats Griffins, 5-1

The Cooperative junior varsity girls soccer team handily defeated International, 5-1, in a game played on the Jaguars' field Tuesday.

Paola Querejazu scored three goals for Cooperative, and Giovanna Varalta two. Fabiana Zelada scored for International. The Jaguars led 2-0 at the half.

Varsity Boys Volleyball

Eagles easy victors over Knights

The Christian Learning boys varsity volleyball team found the Cambridge team an easy puzzle to solve, as they won by lopsided scores in straight sets Tuesday in the International gym.
The Eagles took the first set 25-12, and then won the second with only marginally more difficulty, 25-15.
Eagle Kyle Swope distinguished himself be being able to both go down low to dig out the ball, and up high to block shots.
The full slate of Eagle-Knight games was moved to International because the Eagles' soccer field was too damp to play on. Thursday games scheduled to be played at Christian Learning will also be at International.

Griffins overcome Jaguars, 2-0

Playing with style and in high good spirits, the International boys varsity volleyball team scored a straight sets victory over Cooperative Tuesday in the Jaguar gym.
International took the first set 25-13, taking the last ten points in a single service run by Christopher Saltzieder. The second set was played on a much more even basis, and the two teams were actually tied at 17-all.
__________
TWO AGAINST ONE -- Griffin Captain Rodrigo Bernal tries to ram a spike past two Jaguars.
Jonatan Muñoz, International

At that point the Griffins managed to make a key improvement in their consistency as they moved ahead, finally taking the set 25-21.
The standouts for International were team captain Rodrigo Bernal, who was all over the court, junior Ernando Tesch, who was the most consistent spiker on the floor.
The Jaguars got outstanding play from 10th grader Juan Abuawad, senior David Shin, and senior Rafael Manzilla.

JV Boys Volleyball

Eagle JV wins as Knight rally fails

The Christian Learning boys junior varsity defeated Cambridge 2-0 Tuesday, but had to fight off an attempted comeback by Cambridge in the second set.
The junior Eagles got through the first set with much difficulty, winning 25-12. However, the little Knights made things a lot hotter in the second set before succumbing 27-25.
The game was played at the International School. All of Tuesday's games between Christian learning and Cambridge were moved
to International because the Christian Learning soccer field was too wet to play on. Thursday's games will also be moved to International.
The player of the game was probably Eagle Alex Valencia whose "wicked" serves were key to the Eagle victory.

BOMBS AWAY -- Griffin launches a shot as Jaguars prepare to respond.
Jonatan Muñoz, International

Griffin JV claws its way past Jaguars

The International boys junior varsity volleyball team came back after losing the first set to defeat Cooperative 2-1 in a game played Tuesday in the Jaguars's gym.
The games were hard-fought right from the start. The opening set was tied many times, including 24-24, before Cooperative prevailed 26-24.
It was the same in the second, which was tied at 23-23 before International this time was able to nail down the last two points and win 25-23.
In the deciding set International was able to get out in front 9-6, and then basically hold that margin to win 15-12, with the final point being decided only after a long rally in which both teams made several remarkable "gets."
Both teams played well, particularly on serves with nearly all players using overhand serves to good effect.
The outstanding players for the Griffins were Julio and Lucas Ribeiro, along with Alejandro Saldaño.
For the Jaguars Eduardo Ribera, who did some outstanding serving and rarely missed from the floor, along with Jorge Zankis and Alejandro Rosas.