Stockdale escapes Atascadero in penalty shootout
After spending the better part of 120 minutes on its heels Wednesday night, the Stockdale girls soccer team did its best work when the clock finally stopped.
Senior goalie Madison Gregorio saved three penalties, including a low shot to the right by Atascadero’s Corrinne Davis in the sudden-death sixth round. Forward Madison Acosta sent the winner to the top left corner of the net moments later to give the Mustangs a dramatic playoff win, 1-1 (4-3 in penalties).
The Greyhounds put the pedal to the metal for all of regulation and the majority of extra time, but could rarely get their shots off the ground, making fairly easy work for Gregorio most of the night. The Mustangs struck first against the run of play instead, when Acosta knocked in a bouncing ball. Atascadero goalie Carmen Burrell couldn’t completely corral a long-distance free kick by Melanie Mendizabal, and second efforts by Abigail Rogers and Jayden Lilly were denied before Acosta struck at the far post.
The Greyhounds pushed hard for an equalizer and got it on a brilliant strike from midfielder Isabella Valentine, the engine of their offense all evening. She took a long-range chance at the edge of the box in the 74th minute and, finally, curled one high over Gregorio to even the score at 1-1.
Regulation extended for several extra minutes due to an injury stoppage after Acosta’s goal, and Atascadero nearly took advantage. Valentine had at least two more chances, one on a low shot to the bottom left that Gregorio wrapped up, and another, after she seized on a poor clearance, that she poked wide of the right post.
Both teams seemed to run out of steam when the whistle blew to end regulation, although Stockdale did get one of its best chances of the night in a sluggish second 10 minutes. Alejandra Andalon played the ball through to freshman striker Andrea Isola, who spent much of the night on her own up top. Isola’s shot was tipped wide left by Audrey Stokes and the ensuing corner came to nothing.
In the penalty shootout, Atascadero sent nearly all of its shots low and to the right. Gregorio saved Valentine’s initial attempt, but Stockdale fell behind after Julia Beagle sent one wide and Lilly hit the post. Clara Haungs got two chances at a winner against Gregorio because the goalie came off her line too early, but both were saved, and Gregorio bounced one in past Burrell herself to even the tally at 3-3. That set up the decisive final round that sent the Mustangs home victorious.
Stockdale will travel to face No. 2 Clovis North in the second round of the CIF Central Section Division I playoffs.