The Live Oak girls soccer team dominated visiting Willow Glen Tuesday afternoon 5-0. With the win, the Acorns (4-2-1, 1-1-1) pulled within three points of first-place Santa Teresa in the BVAL-Mount Hamilton Division. The Rams dropped to 1-7, 0-3 in the BVAL-MH.
“We didn’t execute much today,” said Rams Coach Clint Copeland. “This was one of the worst games of the season. We learn and we grow from it.”
Despite the huge margin of victory, Live Oak was not completely satisfied with the win.
“A win is a win from the end of the day, but we have to play a lot better than this if we want to do something this year,” said Acorn Coach Tony Vasquez. “The last two games we had shutouts, so I think defensively we’re playing really well. On offense we’re just a little sluggish. We’re trying to pass the ball too much when we should be shooting.”
Macey Dunne got the Acorns on the board in the seventh minute.
“It feels good obviously to get a quick start on them. Shannon Rauschnot assisted me; she is really good at playing balls too. She assists a lot of our goals,” said Dunne. “It was pretty soon in the first half, so it felt good to get an early lead.”
In the 31st minute, Bella Apolinar scored another goal for the Acorns.
“Alissa Pham threw it in and a defender ran up to it. She tried to kick it out, but then she kicked over it,” said Apolinar. “I came in and just stuck my foot out and it went in.”
At half, Live Oak led 2-0.
“There were moments in both halves, but the second half we had the better of the two,” Vasquez said.
In the 71st minute, Carly Kyle increased their led with the third goal of the night.
“Sydney Barker had the ball and she was dribbling and I was sprinting so hard to get up there,” said Kyle. “I thought Sydney was going to take the shot and I knew the goalie was coming, so I had to go all for it. I slid and I got it before the goalie.”
“I had the ball at my feet and I could have taken the shot, but I felt like Carly had a better angle on it. The goalie was straight on to me, so I would have had to aim to a corner,” Barker said. “I felt like Carly being at an angle; it would be a little bit easier to slide it behind the keeper. The keeper was already stepping to me, so I just passed it off.”
Barker, who had assisted Kyle in the previous goal, had an opportunity to score one herself in the 74th minute.
“Alissa had a really good ball and she was dribbling down line. I just happened to be in a good position at the time, and I thought she was going to shoot it, but instead she chose to pass it to me," Barker said. "Thankfully it went in.”
Kyle had the chance to make her second goal of the night and the last goal of the game during the 78th minute.
“(Monica Luna) just played it back. This field is kind of torn up, so it was bouncing a lot,” said Kyle. “I was trying to focus on getting over the ball and keeping it low.”
Live Oak visits Branham Friday afternoon while Willow Glen travels to Leigh.
