WALNUT CREEK --- An early goal was all it took for Carondelet to be back in a position it is all too familiar with. After its 1-0 win over Liberty, Carondelet is heading to the championship for the fourth consecutive season.
“These girls continue impress me. We only had five returners. These seniors are going to their fourth consecutive final,” said Carondelet head coach Amy Apodaca. “That’s not really normal but the standard they have built for themselves, that’s what they’ve done.”
In the first three minutes of the game, Carondelet scored the game winner. Dani Wozniak took a corner kick. Instead of the typical cross, she went for the shot and it ended being what sent them into the DI championship. The ball curved and found the back of the net, out of the reach of Liberty goalkeeper Kaelyn Adams.
“I take a lot of free kicks, so with my left foot it's a little easier to curve it in rather than cross it so I aimed it for the upper 90,” said Wozniak. “It definitely helped our moment. It puts it away, it sets the backline at more of an easy. It's easier to gain momentum.”
Now, Wozniak and her team are in sight of taking home the crown. They will be playing fellow East Bay Athletic League rival, San Ramon Valley.
“It’s exciting. It’s going to feel really good when we beat SRV and win NCS. Its going to feel good to take home a blue medal,” Wozniak asserted.
Carondelet dominated most of the first half, with junior Ellie Ospeck creating a lot of offensive opportunities alongside sophomore Jordyn Young. However, Liberty’s Tatiana Elsea and Jordan Gregory locked it down, with Adams making big saves for them.
Liberty changed things up in the second half, moving up Elsea to forward, putting Gaby Colmenares at center back, with the hopes of creating more offensive production.
It did so, the possession of the ball heavily switched for Liberty, but the Lions’ just couldn’t find it home, even after multiple crosses through the goal box.
Liberty’s most clear opportunity was a corner kick where Elsea got her head on the ball but the ball bounced off the post.
“In the first half we struggled a bit. But Carondelet is a good team. The second half we did a better job. We pressed them, we created more opportunities. They left it out on the field.” said head coach Tony Martins.
