SOCCER: Lobos salvage tie, into playoffs
Feb. 12, 2014
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
LITTLEROCK — The scene following the postseason-bound Littlerock girls soccer team's 1-1 tie against Palmdale on Wednesday night was not one of a team who had just made the playoffs for a second consecutive season after never having qualified before.
The Lobos, who prior to 2012-13 had never played beyond the regular season, walked off the field heads down and shoulders slumped. A few dropped disappointedly to the grass as if they'd just been told they'd have to attend post-game math tutoring.
"I'm a little disappointed because I believe we could have won," Littlerock captain Odalis Travina said. "But I guess it's fine. I'm happy that we got the win. I mean, the tie."
Entering the last day of the regular season tied with Eastside for the fourth and last guaranteed playoff spot in the Golden League, the Lobos (8-7-1, 6-7-1 GL) knew they had to do their part against the Falcons (4-11-4, 3-9-2), plus hope for the Lions to stumble in their finale against undefeated Quartz Hill.
The Rebels, as they did with most of the league throughout the year, had their way against Eastside in a 5-0 win in a game that finished prior to the start of the Lobos' match, meaning all Littlerock needed to obtain the league's final playoff bid was a tie.
But the Lobos were going for the momentum-grabbing win. It showed from the first minute as Littlerock controlled possession for most of the first half. When Palmdale's Monica Galvan got a cross to go into the Littlerock box and Yesenia Gonzalez tipped it into goalie Andrea Espitia's goal 28 minutes into the game, it was like a bucket of cold water being dumped on the Lobos.
The circumstances reminded Littlerock coach Lorrie Duffy of a game against Eastside on Dec. 17, one the Lobos lost 6-1.
"It was the same way," Duffy said. "We were on (Eastside's) side for like 20 minutes. They got it on our side one time and (they scored)."
Against Palmdale, which Littlerock had handled in a 4-1 win on Jan. 21, the score could have been dooming. If not for Alexis Gomez's beautifully placed free kick to knot up the score in the 56th minute, the Lobos might have had a lot more to pout about.
"It could have been worse," Travina said.
Gomez, the Lobos' appointed free-kick taker, had just missed on an opportunity late in the first half. When Littlerock was fouled from about 25 yards out, she got ready to take the kick as Travina approached her with a word of encouragement.
That word was "Buddha," as Travina proceeded to rub her head.
"As in 'you got this,'" Gomez explained. "She told me to block off everything and do it like we practiced, pretending that no one was there except for just the two of us."
The exchange had a positive effect. The ball sailed over the Palmdale barrier and was too high for Falcons goalie Jackie Martinez to have a chance.
The goal, although not a game-winner, was potentially a season-saver.
"It was nice for once to make a goal," Gomez said.
The Lobos' best chance to score and get their fourth win in their last five games came in the 73rd minute when Adelina Alcala found herself in the box with only Martinez in front of her, but Alcala took too long to get off a shot and two defenders caught up to her and took the ball.
Littlerock's urgency didn't fade, but the Falcons stood their ground and salvaged one final point in what was an up-and-down season for them.
"I think they just wanted to prove a point," Palmdale coach Monica Dopson said of her team, which started league play 0-5, but was unbeaten in its last three games.
After finally breaking through last season by obtaining their first-ever playoff bid, the Lobos also wanted to make a statement by qualifying for the postseason again. They did, although the finish wasn't as strong as they'd hoped.
"We're contenders," Duffy said. "We're out here to show everybody we got what it takes as well. So that's why they were so upset about (not winning)."
Hey, like Travina said, it could have been worse.
"Hats off to Palmdale," Duffy said. "They scared me."
By ALONSO TACANGA/Valley Press Assistant Sports Editor
LITTLEROCK — The scene following the postseason-bound Littlerock girls soccer team's 1-1 tie against Palmdale on Wednesday night was not one of a team who had just made the playoffs for a second consecutive season after never having qualified before.
The Lobos, who prior to 2012-13 had never played beyond the regular season, walked off the field heads down and shoulders slumped. A few dropped disappointedly to the grass as if they'd just been told they'd have to attend post-game math tutoring.
"I'm a little disappointed because I believe we could have won," Littlerock captain Odalis Travina said. "But I guess it's fine. I'm happy that we got the win. I mean, the tie."
Entering the last day of the regular season tied with Eastside for the fourth and last guaranteed playoff spot in the Golden League, the Lobos (8-7-1, 6-7-1 GL) knew they had to do their part against the Falcons (4-11-4, 3-9-2), plus hope for the Lions to stumble in their finale against undefeated Quartz Hill.
The Rebels, as they did with most of the league throughout the year, had their way against Eastside in a 5-0 win in a game that finished prior to the start of the Lobos' match, meaning all Littlerock needed to obtain the league's final playoff bid was a tie.
But the Lobos were going for the momentum-grabbing win. It showed from the first minute as Littlerock controlled possession for most of the first half. When Palmdale's Monica Galvan got a cross to go into the Littlerock box and Yesenia Gonzalez tipped it into goalie Andrea Espitia's goal 28 minutes into the game, it was like a bucket of cold water being dumped on the Lobos.
The circumstances reminded Littlerock coach Lorrie Duffy of a game against Eastside on Dec. 17, one the Lobos lost 6-1.
"It was the same way," Duffy said. "We were on (Eastside's) side for like 20 minutes. They got it on our side one time and (they scored)."
Against Palmdale, which Littlerock had handled in a 4-1 win on Jan. 21, the score could have been dooming. If not for Alexis Gomez's beautifully placed free kick to knot up the score in the 56th minute, the Lobos might have had a lot more to pout about.
"It could have been worse," Travina said.
Gomez, the Lobos' appointed free-kick taker, had just missed on an opportunity late in the first half. When Littlerock was fouled from about 25 yards out, she got ready to take the kick as Travina approached her with a word of encouragement.
That word was "Buddha," as Travina proceeded to rub her head.
"As in 'you got this,'" Gomez explained. "She told me to block off everything and do it like we practiced, pretending that no one was there except for just the two of us."
The exchange had a positive effect. The ball sailed over the Palmdale barrier and was too high for Falcons goalie Jackie Martinez to have a chance.
The goal, although not a game-winner, was potentially a season-saver.
"It was nice for once to make a goal," Gomez said.
The Lobos' best chance to score and get their fourth win in their last five games came in the 73rd minute when Adelina Alcala found herself in the box with only Martinez in front of her, but Alcala took too long to get off a shot and two defenders caught up to her and took the ball.
Littlerock's urgency didn't fade, but the Falcons stood their ground and salvaged one final point in what was an up-and-down season for them.
"I think they just wanted to prove a point," Palmdale coach Monica Dopson said of her team, which started league play 0-5, but was unbeaten in its last three games.
After finally breaking through last season by obtaining their first-ever playoff bid, the Lobos also wanted to make a statement by qualifying for the postseason again. They did, although the finish wasn't as strong as they'd hoped.
"We're contenders," Duffy said. "We're out here to show everybody we got what it takes as well. So that's why they were so upset about (not winning)."
Hey, like Travina said, it could have been worse.
"Hats off to Palmdale," Duffy said. "They scared me."