JOY AND AGONY -- Griffin Laura Maragaño (above and right) puts her team up 1-0 late in the first half. Griffin defenders below react in unison after one of them accidentally deflects Jaguars' winning goal into the net. Jonatan Muñoz, International
Shocker: Griffins almost beat Jaguars
With ten minutes to go in the game the International girls varsity soccer team lead Cooperative and seemed to be on the verge of beating the Lady Jaguars for the first time since . . . well, nobody could remember the last time the Jaguars have lost.
However, it was not to be. The Jaguars got two scores in the last ten minutes -- one of them an "own goal" on a miscue by a Griffin player -- and won the game 2-1 to keep alive their seemingly eternal winning streak. (They have won the championship every year since the SCISL began in 2005.) The game was played Tuesday on Cooperative's field.
The Jaguars, who started their season with a 9-0 pounding of Cambridge and reportedly were concentrating mainly on how they would celebrate another championship season, were shocked -- absolutely shocked -- when nearly at the end of an until then scoreless first half Griffin Laura Maragaño took a nifty pass that put her in position to knock the ball in from about 15 meters out -- and didn't miss.
The continuing attack by the clearly unintimidated and well-drilled Griffins left the Jaguars clearly discombobulated and confused, and they played badly during the opening phases of the second half, while the Griffins continued to threaten.
Finally the Jaguars seemed to pull their attack together, but now it seemed as if the soccer gods had turned against them. One centering pass got past Griffin goalie Stephanie Giotto and dribbled across the mouth of the goal -- but there was no one available to tap it in.
On another occasion star left-winger Fernanda Vaca Diez whistled in a shot that went through Giotto's upraised hands and hit the far post -- only to bounce out of the goal rather than in.
But ultimately the Jaguars were not be denied. Vaca Diez and her usual partner in crime, Tania Landivar, broke loose and scored a classic goal with Vaca Diez crossing to Landivar, who was standing undefended on the far side of the goal. Landivar headed the ball in.
Fate now switched sides again and seemingly handed victory to the Jaguars a few moments later when Landivar was fouled in the penalty area and awarded a penalty shot, but Giotto bravely blocked it, keeping very much alive the possibility that the Jaguars would be tied, something that hasn't happened since 2008.
However, in the closing minutes of the game the Jaguars were able to have victory from the jaws of equality. Jaguar Aldana Roda unleashed a vicious corner kick that Griffin defender Carolina Badivieso deflected the wrong way, sending the ball into her own goal and putting the Jaguars in the lead 2-1.
But the Griffins continued to attack. Two excellent plays by Jaguar goalie Karla Aguilera prevented the Griffins from knotting the score again. On one of them, in the final minute or so, Aguilera got to the ball nanoseconds ahead of two charging Griffin forwards, and kicked it clear.
Still, it may be a more interesting season than anyone expected.
Last-minute goal gives Eagles win
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SQUEEZED OUT -- Cambridge forwarward Maria Fornaguera tries to get by two Eagle defenders. Katarina Holland, Christian Learning |
Christian Learning
The Christian Learning Center Eagles took on the Cambridge Knights on the International field Tuesday in a game that started out slowly, but ended dramatically in a 2-1 Eagle victory.
The first half was full of scoring attempts, but neither team was able to put the ball into the net. Both teams had numerous attempts on corner kicks, and Eagles Mariela Salinas and Abby Phillips both had breakaways, but were unable to score.
Things got more interesting in the second half. The Eagles starting the scoring with a kick from Abby Phillips that was deflected by Kelsey Friesen into the goal. As the end of the game approached, the Knights pushed harder to score a goal. Finally, Reina Ushida was able to volley the ball past the Eagle goalie into the net to tie the game up at 1-1 with less than a minute to go.
The game looked like it would end in a tie, but the Eagles got one last chance to win it, and they used it. As soon as play started, the Eagles kicked the ball directly for the Cambridge goal. The goalie grabbed the ball, but it slipped from her hands. Meanwhile, Eagles Abby Phillips and Jessica Smith sprinted down the field and past the Knight defense where Phillips kicked the ball in for the winning goal.
Things got more interesting in the second half. The Eagles starting the scoring with a kick from Abby Phillips that was deflected by Kelsey Friesen into the goal. As the end of the game approached, the Knights pushed harder to score a goal. Finally, Reina Ushida was able to volley the ball past the Eagle goalie into the net to tie the game up at 1-1 with less than a minute to go.
The game looked like it would end in a tie, but the Eagles got one last chance to win it, and they used it. As soon as play started, the Eagles kicked the ball directly for the Cambridge goal. The goalie grabbed the ball, but it slipped from her hands. Meanwhile, Eagles Abby Phillips and Jessica Smith sprinted down the field and past the Knight defense where Phillips kicked the ball in for the winning goal.
