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| FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE -- Eagle goalie Sharon Gabler tries to save ball at same moment defender Tabitha Malloy tries to clear it. The ball popped loose and was tapped in for Griffins' first goal. Jonatan Muñoz, International |
Griffins win 5-0 win over Eagles
By Trevor Reed
Christian Learning
The International girls varsity soccer team triumphed over the Christian Learning 5-0 on Tuesday at the Griffins' home field in a game that was much closer than the score suggests.
Both teams were focused on offense starting off, and both goalies had to work hard in order to keep the other team scoreless. There were numerous corner kicks for both teams, but neither team was able to convert their corners into goals until about halfway through the first half, when the Griffins finally gained a lead.
The Eagle goalie had just saved a shot on goal, but collided with a teammate jarring the ball loose. Griffin Maria Isabel Barrenechea was there to put her foot on it, sending the ball slowly rolling into the back of the net before anyone to knock it away.
The Eagles had their own opportunities to even the score, and they seemed to become even more determined to score with each missed chance. Eagle Mariela Salinas had a chance on a centering pass, but was unable to connect.There was another close call after good passing between Salinas, Abby Phillips, and seventh-grader Emily Ordoñez, but once again the Eagles failed to score.
Both teams used a strategy of kicking long passes just past the opposing defense in hopes that their own players could outrun the defenders and catch up with the ball, but this was not successful.
Then, as the first half was drawing to a close and everything seemed to be calming down, the Griffins struck
again. The ball was crossed to the center from the corner of the field, and somehow Griffin seventh grader Fabiana Zelada headed it in to score an unexpected and shocking goal.
again. The ball was crossed to the center from the corner of the field, and somehow Griffin seventh grader Fabiana Zelada headed it in to score an unexpected and shocking goal.
The Griffins finished the first half with a 2-0 lead, despite the support of a large cheering section for the Eagles.
In the second half, the Griffins focused a bit more on defense to try to keep their lead. The Eagles still focused on offense, and they nearly scored multiple times.
In the second half, the Griffins focused a bit more on defense to try to keep their lead. The Eagles still focused on offense, and they nearly scored multiple times.
In one particular play, a pass right in front of the goal passed by three different Eagle players who were unable to connect with it to put it in the goal.
The Griffins at this point returned to the offense, passing the ball up the field before Matilde Gamarra took a shot from the edge of the penalty box. The shot went in, bringing the score to 3-0.
The Eagles had two more near-misses right in front of the opposing goal before the Griffins were able to recover possession again. The Griffins scored on a center that passed through the Eagle goalie's fingertips and was tapped in by Griffin Laura Maragaño, who was standing behind her.
The Eagles, now desperate for a goal, nearly scored after the Griffin goalie mishandled a shot, but the ball was cleared out of the penalty box. The Griffins scored a fifth goal near the end of the game with a shot by Maria Victoria Gutierrez into the right side of the net. .
The outcome was a surprise in that the Eagles had won 1-0 in the last encounter between these two teams.
The win sets up an exciting final game between the Griffins and Jaguars. TheGriffins have lost twice to the Jaguars this season, but came close to winning the first game 2-1. The Griffins have definitely
improved since their last game against the Eagles, but the real question is whether or not they have improved enough to beat a Jaguar team that is notorious for dominating girls soccer, and has won every girls varsity championship since the start of the league.
improved since their last game against the Eagles, but the real question is whether or not they have improved enough to beat a Jaguar team that is notorious for dominating girls soccer, and has won every girls varsity championship since the start of the league.
Theanswer will come next Tuesday as those two teams face off in one of the most anticipated games of recent years.
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| SHOCKER -- The second Griffin goal came during a melee in front of the Eagle goal when little Fabiana Zelada (shown standing innocently next to Eagle defender on left) headed a crossing pass into the goal. The Eagles were stunned. Jonatan Muñoz, International. |
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Cambridge was unable to field a girls varsity soccer team Tuesday and so forfeited the match to Cooperative.
Discretion may have been the better part of valor for the Lady Knights, who had lost their two previous meeting with Cooperative by a combined score of 16-1. The stage is now set for International to take the final shot of the season at Cooperative, which has been undefeated and untied since 2008. No one can remember the Jaguar girls losing a soccer game, and it is possible that they have not lost a game in League history going back to 2005. Records are being checked. They were tied twice in 2008.
While the forfeit was unfortunate, especially for the Cooperative girls who were ready to play, but it's worth noting that this was the first, and probably last, forfeit this season, a welcome improvement from past years.
