BERKELEY, CA - The Berkeley High boys soccer team has certainly known some frustration over the previous four seasons, three times being seeded in the top five yet have yet to reach a Division I final, twice being eliminated before the semifinals.
However, that was not the case on Wednesday night during the teams first round North Coast Section playoff match with No. 12 Granada, as the fifth-seeded Yellowjackets couldn’t break through until the second half of a 2-1 win over the Matadors.
Despite being scoreless at halftime, Berkeley (19-2-2) was still a confident group heading into the locker room. After Granada started the game on the front foot, the home side settled in, controlled the possession and had some great opportunities, but the staunch Matador defense stood tall for as long as it could.
“The boys were confident at the half,” Berkeley coach Andre Hebert said. “They had adjusted to the EBAL storm and had settled down. They kept at it and it paid off which has been the M.O. of this team all year. The second goal was definitely a boost to their moral and their poise.”
The two goals came in quick succession, as Yohannes Koljani scored twice in very short order. The first came in the 63rd minute, the second, a very cooly taken goal, came in the 68th minute after a very nice left-footed pass from Tiez Allison found Koljani in front of goal.
That second goal certainly energized the home side, but some of the air left the stadium just a minute later when Granada (7-6-6) got a goal back, thanks to Trevor Campbell. However, Berkeley was able to see out the match.
Berkeley nearly broke through in the 55th minute, but a truly top class save from Matteo DeFina kept the match scoreless, at least for the time being.
