The Santa Rosa Junior College women’s soccer team beat Las Positas at home 1-0 in the first round of playoffs Saturday.
The SRJC Bear Cubs took their first chance at scoring in the seventh minute when forward Taylor Gandy shot the ball that would have been the opening goal of the game but was saved by Las Positas goalkeeper, Mia Lemus.
The game was tied at 15 minutes in with both teams pressuring each other. During the 38 minute, Las Positas had a free kick outside the goalkeeper box where the team nearly scored but went right into the hands of SRJC goalkeeper Juliana Santiago.
SRJC forward Shae Dougherty received a yellow card 45 minutes into the game for a foul. Las Positas looked like they were going to score their first goal when one of their players shot the ball but, once again, Santiago saved it.
In the second half, the Bear Cubs swapped Juliana Santiago for Taylor Brogden. SRJC nearly scored a header but the ball hit the top post in the 49th minute. Seconds later SRJC forward Olivia Parlato shot the ball and hit the post but scored the first goal of the match from the rebound.
The Bear Cubs seemed to have more control on the field during their fight to get a second goal. Las Positas pressured the Bear Cubs for the last 20 minutes, trying to strategize a way to score an equalizer goal.
It was a tough game as the field was wet from the rainy day, and players from both sides were challenging each other for the ball leading to many slide tackles.
“We planned for it, especially the men playing before us. Our field is amazing and it held up way better than we thought. I don’t think it affected us in what we were trying to do,” said SRJC Women’s Soccer Head Coach, Crystal Chaidez.
SRJC defended their lead well in the last few minutes of the game as Las Positas searched for a goal to draw the game.
Their effort was in vain as the referee blew the whistle and the Bear Cubs advanced to the next game of the playoffs.
SRJC obtained another clean sheet for their defensive performances, making a total of 9 clean sheets for the season.
“It was going to be a team effort. Playoffs are everyone’s, whether it be the coach, the players on the bench, players on the field, the subs going in, everyones going to participate in some aspect,” Chaidez said.
