LODI GIRLS FALL IN HOME OPENER
Rachel Sutter wiped the sweat off her face and near her headband.
Toward the end of the second half, the junior forward on the Lodi High girls soccer team, a threeyear starter, had taken a half-dozen shots on goal in the second half of Wednesday night’s non-league home game against Pleasant Grove. Some of Sutter’s teammates also had their chances of recording a goal.
But the Flames were kept off the scoreboard, while the Eagles soared in the first 40 minutes of a 2-0 win over Lodi at Don Rostomily Field. This marks the second consecutive game that the Flames were unable to score a goal; Rio Americano of Sacramento posted an 8-0 win over Lodi on Tuesday.
The Flames had six shots on goal in the final 40 minutes of the game, half attempted by Sutter. Two of those shots came in the 51st and 52nd minutes from angles in hopes of drawing the Pleasant Grove’s goalie out to the side of the box. But both attempts were thwarted, putting the ball back into play in the middle of the field.
“Rachel wanted to score,” said Lodi coach Tim Stutz.
Sutter had her final shot on goal in the 77th minute of the game. But this time, she drove half the distance of the field, as she zipped past two Pleasant Grove players. Finding the front of the box, Sutter drilled the ball that went off to the side of the net. The Flames’ other three attempts came from Ashley Thorpe and Amanda Harris.
“They were just aggressive,” Stutz said. “They all want to score ... we needed some positives. I think they were just trying to force the issue.”
On the defensive side, the Flames spread out the field and tracked an Eagles player who would try to move the ball toward the Flames’ net in the second half. The result was only one shot on goal.
Pleasant Grove (2-0) scored its first goal in the 13th minute of the contest after the Eagles and Flames battled for four minutes of keeping possession of the ball, as the Olivia Mattos took the shot and landed in the middle of the cage.
“We were a little bit more focused today,” Stutz said. “Defensively, a little bit more communicative. We had players back, another day together that helped a little bit more understanding cover defense. All in all, I was real happy. Pleasant Grove is a quality program.”
The final goal for the Eagles came in the 36th minute when a loose ball floated in front of the Flames’ box. That gave the Eagles’ Victoria Stutzman an opportunity to boot the ball into the net.
Stutz said that out of the 10 practices that Lodi has had, there’s only been one in which he’s had a full squad. Injuries, plus illnesses and other school
activities have left him to move some players from the Flames’ frosh-soph team and see if they can claim a spot on the varsity roster.
“I don’t mind it, I want to see other options,” Stutz said.
Lodi continues its preseason schedule on Friday, playing at Armijo of Fairfield.