 |
Nathan Mollat / Daily Journal |
Now Woodside knows how Mountain View must have felt after that game. Despite controlling a bulk of the game and having several golden scoring chances, the second-seeded Wildcats failed to convert. Sixth-seeded Palo Alto, on the other hand, had two legitimate scoring chances. The Vikings converted one of them and advanced to the CCS Division I finals for the first time since 2003 with a 1-0 win over the Wildcats at Valley Christian High in San Jose Wednesday night.
Palo Alto will face top-seed Monta Vista in Saturday’s Division I championship game at a time to be determined.
“We just beat a great team. They’re very solid. I have a lot of respect for that team,” said Palo Alto coach Ernesto Cruz, who coached the Woodside frosh-soph team during the 2003-04 season. “I knew it would be one-nothing. Whoever scored would win.”
Woodside coach Jose Navarrete didn’t have much to complain about. And although he didn’t say it, you know he was thinking it — that’s soccer.
“Our girls played well. They played hard,” Navarrete said. “I felt Woodside should have come out of here with a win. … No disrespect to Palo Alto.”
The game featured two teams with contrasting styles. Woodside used a direct attack, using Chelsea Braun’s and Taylor Duffner’s dangerous runs up top, versus a Palo Alto squad that did an excellent job of knocking the ball around and building its attack from the midfield. Cruz said others were telling him what to expect from Woodside and how the Vikings should best counter. Instead, Cruz told his girls to just play the way they know how.
In the end, however, it was a set piece that ultimately decided the game. The Vikings had only two corner kicks — both in the second half — compared to four for Woodside, but the Vikings converted on their second attempt in the 57th minute. Jessie Duller whipped a cross into the Woodside penalty box, where Kelly Jenks — who scored all five goals in Palo Alto’s 5-2 win over Leland in the quarterfinals — flicked the ball on with her head. Maeve Stewart, who had lost her mark, headed the ball on goal and while not a strong effort, it was well placed — just over the outstretched arms of Woodside goalkeeper Emily Kruger and just under the crossbar for the game-winning goal.
Woodside pushed over the final 23 minutes, coming up with several dangerous opportunities, but the Wildcats just could not get a clean shot away or had the ball just sail wide or high.
After a lackluster game against Mountain View Saturday, Woodside (15-3-4) came out with a lot more confidence and aggressiveness against Palo Alto (12-7-4). The Wildcats’ midfield was active and involved both offensively and defensively, while the backline played physical and challenged every ball. The Wildcats definitely looked like a No. 2 seed and dominated the opening 10 minutes of the game. Winger Chelsea Braun was one of the most dangerous players on the field and she made several dangerous runs in those opening minutes — her best was her effort in tight quarters in which the ball appeared tied to her feet as she juked her way through three defenders in the penalty box before finally being knocked off the ball.
The Wildcats will rue the final 10 minutes of the first half as they had three excellent chances to take a lead, only to come up empty. The first came off a free kick from just past the midfield stripe. Megan McKee sent the ball into the Palo Alto penalty box. It was headed into space and Caitlin Brandman ran onto it and blasted a one-timer — just over the top of the goal.
That would be theme of the night for the Wildcats. Minutes later, Braun unleashed a shot from 25 yards out. Palo Alto goalkeeper Alex Kershner dropped to her knees to make the initial save, but gave up a rebound that bounced several yards in front of her. Duffner came streaking in and beat Kershner to the ball, but lifted it over the top of the goal.
With about two minutes before halftime, the Palo Alto defense cleared out a Woodside corner kick but it was intercepted by Woodside’s Lily Tapia, who sent a long pass to the top of the penalty box to Brandman, who again shot it just over the crossbar.
“Those (near misses) are the ones that scare you,” Navarrete said. “The ones that haunt you.”
For Palo Alto, the Vikings now have a chance to win its first CCS title since 1982.
“I said, ‘Let’s go make history,’” Cruz said.
Navarrete said he was proud of the way his team grew from a month ago when the Wildcats suffered a demoralizing 4-0 loss to Burlingame in league play. The Wildcats turned it around from there and had one of the most successful seasons in school history.
And with only one senior on the team, the Wildcats expect to get only better in the coming years.
“We’re young,” Navarrete said. “We feel like sharks who got a taste of blood. We’ll be back.”
No comments:
Post a Comment