Jaguars edge Eagles in close one, 2-0
The Cooperative girls varsity soccer team had what was probably its toughest game of the year Friday against Christian Learning, but emerged with a 2-0 win and its first place finish and undefeated season still intact.
Playing from the start in a "prevent defense," with four fullbacks, Larry Lindahl's Lady Eagles were able to largely stifle the Jaguar's potent offense, which had scored five or more goals in each of its previous victories.
This effort was helped by the fact that Jaguar star wing, Fernanda Vaca Diaz, is sideline with eligibility problems, and that midfielder Aldana Roda, another Jaguar offensive threat, suffered a sprained ankle in the first half. She was sidelined for the rest of the game, but is expected to be able to play in the championship tournament.
They also may have been helped by the fact that Tania Landivar, the Jaguars biggest star, had already played the entire junior varsity game, scoring three times.
But Landivar, who is nothing if not durable, still had enough magic in her red shoes to score both of Cooperative's goals.
The first goal was a free kick over the head of Christian Learning's Tabitha Malloy -- no small feat in view of the fact that Malloy was the tallest player on the field. Malloy's steady pkay in goal and awesome punting prowess -- she had to restrain herself so as not to simply kick the ball out of bounds at the far end of the field -- was another major factor in containing, relatively speaking, the Jaguar attack.
The second goal was a penalty shot, also kicked by Landivar. called because of a hand ball in the penalty area. Landivar's shot hit the back post on the fly. Malloy never had a chance for it.
Christian Learning was able to get the ball in the Jaguar end on numerous occasions, but its forwards were always outnumbered, and while the Jaguar goalie got many chances to handle the ball, she was never severely tested.
Cooperative had one more penalty kick, but Malloy blocked that one. Another apparent Cooperative goal was called back for an offsides infraction.
