The girls soccer team at PLHS took a big step towards a Western League championship last week as an all-out team effort led to a 2-1 win over Cathedral Catholic.
The tense game, played under the lights on the Pointers’ pitch, left the home team with a 9-4-3 overall record (5-1 in league), the team’s fifth straight victory. The Dons had not lost since Dec. 28, a period covering ten wins and a tie. They are 14-5-2 overall (4-1-1 in league).
The Pointer girls were trying to avenge a 2-0 to the Dons last month on the Dons’ field and head coach Jose Garcia Jr., reminded his players they’d have to play at their highest level if they expected to achieve a win.
The game was scoreless until the 30th minute when a corner kick by the Pointers landed among a crowd of players in front of the Dons’ goalmouth. Junior forward Gwen Rauvola was able to get a foot on the ball and fired it into the net for the game’s first goal and her team-leading 13th.
But just four minutes later a long shot by the Dons hit the upper right corner of the Pointer goalpost and bounced skyward as Pointer freshman goalkeeper Maya Powell leaped to knock the ball away. But the ball landed in front of the net where an unmarked Cathedral player easily tapped it in to tie the match.
With the referee about to blow his whistle during injury time before the break, the Pointers struck again for the game-winning goal.
Sophomore defender Maia Kranz lofted a long free kick into another traffic jam in front of the Dons’ goal. Fellow sophomore midfielder Allie York was able to propel the ball into the net for her sixth goal of the season, and the game-winner.
At halftime, Garcia urged his girls to score a third goal to put the match away. But while they weren’t able to do that, they did give every ounce of effort and energy asked of them to keep the Dons from tying.
The Dons put on a furious rally in the second half as the minutes passed, but despite some close calls, the Pointer defenders and midfielders teamed up with Powell to shut the door until the referee’s long-awaited final whistle sent the Pointer team into a celebratory frenzy.
After his postgame team talk, Garcia gathered his thoughts.
“It’s a great team win for the girls,” Garcia said. “They’ve been working hard to really come together as a unit. The focus was definitely there, the girls worked hard today. The league title’s in our hands with two games left (at Coronado earlier this week, home against Mission Bay this afternoon). I think the girls are up to the challenge.”
Senior Charley Faucett leads the team with assists (8). while Powell has recorded six shutouts.
