Spartans hold off Golden Bears
Strathmore comes away with tie
The offensive opportunities were there for Strathmore High School’s girls soccer team, some missed by just a couple of inches, but in the end the Spartans’ defense was able to hold off the East Sequoia League’s top team Sierra Pacific to end Thursday’s league game in a scoreless tie after double overtime at Spartan Stadium.
The Spartans (3-7-1, 2-1-1 ESL) two closest chances at scores came in the second half from sophomore Aliyah Garcia and senior Brittany Hefner.
From less than 10 yards out Garcia’s shot missed the goal just a couple inches to the right 19 minutes into the half.
Six minutes later, Hefner’s free kick from 40 yards at the middle of the field, bounced right in front of the goalie and then off the top of the goal post before a Spartans’ player headed the ball out of play.
“We’re moving around a little better,” SHS head coach Hector Gonzalez said. “We’re understanding what’s going on. I think it’s just a matter of settling down in the middle a little bit more and making our passes down the line and we’re going to be OK.”
Strathmore’s defense made numerous stops with freshman goalkeeper Isabella Duerig adjusting well to her role in the net. Duerig took over goal-tending duties only a few games ago after senior Jackie Orozco was sidelined with an injury.
Coming up clutch on defense for the Spartans was sophomore Natalie Angles, who went oneon-one with an attacking Sierra Pacific (8-55, 2-0-2 ESL) player and made a sliding tackle to prevent a Golden Bears’ score late in the second half.
Angeles, sophomore Valerie Mosqueda and senior Natalee Rodriguez all had important defensive plays to slow down the faster Sierra Pacific offense.
Sierra Pacific’s best chance at a score came in the first overtime when one of their players was left wide open but missed her shot wide right from 15 yards out.
“They played hard,” Gonzalez said. “It’s a good team to play against, a lot of speed. They covered the back good. We put pressure on them, we had our opportunities. I didn’t see many — even though [Sierra Pacific was] dangerous — there were only a couple of times when they got behind us.”
Strathmore’s coming off a 18-6-1 season when the Spartans won their 11th ESL championship and almost won their third straight CIF Central Section Division IV Championship. But many of those players that led the Spartans to the Valley finals have graduated and despite having 10 seniors, Strathmore is young in terms of experience and only recently beginning to play together as a team according to Gonzalez.
On Jan. 10, the Spartans lost their first ESL game in five years to Granite Hills (7-6-1, 3-1 ESL) in a 3-2 loss. Strathmore has a chance to avenge that loss, on Friday, Jan. 26 at Jacob Rankin Stadium after a Wednesday game at Corcoran (6-12-4, 1-3 ESL).
“We did lose a game earlier in the season, but I think it was a fluke,” Gonzalez said. “The girls are playing good, I think we’re going to be OK.”