| Varsity Girls' Soccer (4/08) | | Print | |
| Written by Anthony Clay | |
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As the quality of AAA varsity girls’ soccer continues to fall, the Cardinals have shone above the rest with an uncontestable 9-0 record, turning heads with a stunning goals-scored-to-goals-allowed ratio, of 24:1.
On April 15, the Cardinals were put to the test against a resilient and skilled O’Connell Boilermaker team. After an intense period of back-and-forth play, the Cardinals struck first when sophomore center midfielder Gina Cargas scored 10 minutes before halftime. However, the scrappy play of the Boilermakers equalized the score right before the halftime whistle. “We were in shock when they scored that goal,” sophomore midfielder Alissa Goldberg said. The shock continued as the Boilermakers steamed through the usually solid Cardinal defense for a second goal halfway through the second half. Down 2-1 with 20 minutes left, the Cardinals were in a very unfamiliar situation. Unlike basketball or baseball players or any other athletes, soccer players can not call a timeout to calm the tempo of the game down; any sort of comeback or organization has to stem from the players’ ability to communicate. The Cardinals did exactly that. They kept their composure and, as a unit, with junior right midfielder Lupe Gamez as their commander, scored two consecutive goals and held on for the 3-2 win. Yes, the Cardinals increased their record to 10-0 but, more importantly, they showed character as a team. They never trembled, never changed their game plan and, through the support of every single player on the field, were able to overcome a major setback. Through the win the Cardinals also secured their identity as a true team. The result was gratifying to more than just one team. The Lowell boys’ soccer team, (this writer included), suffered a playoff loss to the Boilermakers 3-2 in early December. Nothing could be more satisfying than seeing an O’Connell soccer team losing to a Lowell soccer team by the same score that sunk the boys’ team’s playoff hopes. The O’Connell game was one of the Cardinals’ few challenges. They trampled Wallenberg 7-1 on April 8 and Mission 6-0 on April 10. Their full-throttle offense steamrolled over Balboa 6-0 on April 1 then embarrassed Burton 5-0 two days later. In most cases, a great soccer team that gets these kinds of results has one main goal scorer and a good supporting cast that can chip in the occasional goal. This is not the case for these girls. Their goals come from all over the place, and not just from one source. The team nonetheless has several standout performers, including Cargas, sophomore center midfielder Gabriella Rustia and Gamez. Come out and see the Cardinals’ attacking style of futbol at 4 p.m. on April 28 against Galileo at Feibusch Field. |
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