Getting in most of the game before the rain started coming down hard, Escalon's varsity soccer girls worked out a 1-0 win over visiting Amador on Tuesday, March 3.
Taylor Morrow netted the first half goal, which stood up for the Lady Cougars throughout the contest.
"It was unassisted, on a direct kick," said first year head varsity coach Jamie Peoples. "We had 17 shots, we basically dominated, we just couldn't finish the shots."
Goalie Katie San Julian made five stops on Amador kicks, preserving the shutout.
The field was wet from weekend rains and the conditions were cloudy and chilly. In the second half, with about 15 minutes to go, the rain came and the wind picked up, making it tough for players on both sides to control the ball. Escalon, however, held on for the win.
On Thursday, they went to Calaveras for a game under the lights on the Astroturf field, playing their game after the JV contest. In between the two they also attended an emotional ceremony in which the Calaveras team retired the jersey of one of their players tragically killed in a car accident with her sister and another friend.
"They gave the family one jersey," Peoples said of the somber ceremony.
The player's number was officially retired and another jersey will be on display at the school.
Following the ceremony, the teams did battle on the field and Escalon took a 2-0 lead in the first half. Amanda Franklin got the first goal on an assist off Alex Gonzales, with the second goal coming from Gonzales on a double assist. Morrow sent the ball across to Kara McKee, who got it to Gonzales for the score.
It was a determined Calaveras team that came out in the second half though, and with some physical play, they evened the score at 2-2, including getting their first goal after what Peoples said was a takedown of an Escalon player in the box that didn't get called. With the Lady Cougar still down, Calaveras sent it flying down the field and got the goal.
"They had the momentum the rest of the game," Peoples said.
San Julian made nine saves in goal and the teams fought to the 2-2 tie.
"It was an outstanding game by my girls, the turf is a lot faster and I wish we had won just so they could get rewarded for their good work," the coach said. "It was a long, tough game, freezing cold and they got more and more aggressive as the game went on ... there were a couple of yellow cards."
The girls open up Trans-Valley League play this week; they were slated to take on Ripon Christian on Monday, March 9 after The Times went to press. They will host Riverbank on Wednesday, March 11 at 4:30 p.m. and then go on the road for a stretch of five straight, not getting back to their home field until Wednesday, April 1 against Hughson.
The JV team, meanwhile, had a tough week against the Mother Lode League opponents, falling in a rain-soaked contest on Tuesday, 6-1, to Amador and losing on the road 7-2 at Calaveras on Thursday. New JV head coach is Jason Collinsworth.
Taylor Morrow netted the first half goal, which stood up for the Lady Cougars throughout the contest.
"It was unassisted, on a direct kick," said first year head varsity coach Jamie Peoples. "We had 17 shots, we basically dominated, we just couldn't finish the shots."
Goalie Katie San Julian made five stops on Amador kicks, preserving the shutout.
The field was wet from weekend rains and the conditions were cloudy and chilly. In the second half, with about 15 minutes to go, the rain came and the wind picked up, making it tough for players on both sides to control the ball. Escalon, however, held on for the win.
On Thursday, they went to Calaveras for a game under the lights on the Astroturf field, playing their game after the JV contest. In between the two they also attended an emotional ceremony in which the Calaveras team retired the jersey of one of their players tragically killed in a car accident with her sister and another friend.
"They gave the family one jersey," Peoples said of the somber ceremony.
The player's number was officially retired and another jersey will be on display at the school.
Following the ceremony, the teams did battle on the field and Escalon took a 2-0 lead in the first half. Amanda Franklin got the first goal on an assist off Alex Gonzales, with the second goal coming from Gonzales on a double assist. Morrow sent the ball across to Kara McKee, who got it to Gonzales for the score.
It was a determined Calaveras team that came out in the second half though, and with some physical play, they evened the score at 2-2, including getting their first goal after what Peoples said was a takedown of an Escalon player in the box that didn't get called. With the Lady Cougar still down, Calaveras sent it flying down the field and got the goal.
"They had the momentum the rest of the game," Peoples said.
San Julian made nine saves in goal and the teams fought to the 2-2 tie.
"It was an outstanding game by my girls, the turf is a lot faster and I wish we had won just so they could get rewarded for their good work," the coach said. "It was a long, tough game, freezing cold and they got more and more aggressive as the game went on ... there were a couple of yellow cards."
The girls open up Trans-Valley League play this week; they were slated to take on Ripon Christian on Monday, March 9 after The Times went to press. They will host Riverbank on Wednesday, March 11 at 4:30 p.m. and then go on the road for a stretch of five straight, not getting back to their home field until Wednesday, April 1 against Hughson.
The JV team, meanwhile, had a tough week against the Mother Lode League opponents, falling in a rain-soaked contest on Tuesday, 6-1, to Amador and losing on the road 7-2 at Calaveras on Thursday. New JV head coach is Jason Collinsworth.
