Sobrato cleared a major hurdle on its way to claiming the Santa Teresa Division crown on Wednesday by defeating Pioneer 1-0 for the second time this season.
The Bulldogs (9-3-3, 7-0-2) now command sole possession of first place in the division by handing the Mustangs their second league loss and third overall loss of their season.
Of Pioneer’s three losses, Sobrato claims two of them.
And the Bulldogs had to do it by pitching their second shutout in as many games. It is their sixth shutout of the league season.
Kristyn Lerma provided the only goal Sobrato needed in the 13th minute off a great set of passing around the box to over extend the defense.
Lerma finally got the ball on the right side of the box and sent it to the far corner, just out of the reach of the Pioneer keeper.
From there it was a tense back-and-forth nail biter where both sides hand chances to score, but the shots just never quite found their mark.
The Bulldogs’ defense, while great for most of the game, had a bit of luck on their side as well.
“They (the Mustangs) had some great opportunities. They ball is just not bouncing the right way for them right now,” said coach Paul Nishimatsu. “We kept the pressure on. It was a good game.”
In the eighth minute, a bad play on the ball in its own box forced Sobrato’s keeper Hazel Sanz to aggressively commit before Pioneer’s Melanie Hardell could knock in the goal.
Hardell still beat Sanz to the ball, but her shot was rushed and softly curved away from the net.
In the 39th minute, Pioneer led by freshman standout Naomi Girma went on the counter attack off a Sobrato corner sent in a crossing pass that got a little too close to Sanz.
She corralled the ball just ahead of Emily Hinojos, who came streaking in to threaten the goal.
“If she would have connected in the last third when we didn’t have enough defense on her, she would have scored,” Nishimatsu said. “She just didn’t make the connection.”
Girma had two goals and three assists in Pioneer’s previous game against Overfelt where the Mustangs won 5-1.
Nishimatsu said knowing her prowess against other teams, he wanted to make sure there was always a body on her and the pressure paid off.
Then early in the second half, both teams traded quality looks at the net.
In the 53rd minute, Kayla Morales sent in a shot from the top of the box that hooked to the middle of the goal, just out of the reach of the keeper’s hands, but it clanked off the cross bar for a goal kick.
Pioneer immediately took it the length of the field and threatened in front of the Sobrato goal when a second bad pass in front of the net threatened the shutout.
The Bulldogs attempted to send the ball back to Sanz to clear it, but the pass was too soft and allowed Pioneer a good shot. Sanz just made a leaping stop to keep the game tied.
Sobrato then countered and Leslie Cisneros had a chance in front of the net that was blocked. The rebound went out to Jessica Gonzalez at the top of the box, but she couldn’t get her shot off in time before Pioneer cleared it.
Pioneer’s final quality chance came in the 61st minute when Sanz had to make a diving stop and thanks to an even better second effort, she punched out the rebound just before Girma could tie the game.
Sobrato will next travel to Overfelt for a 3:15 p.m. game on Friday.
Of the Bulldogs next five games, four will come against the bottom half of the division, including Independence who had yet to win a league game coming into Wednesday.
Sobrato’s next true test will come against Mt. Pleasant who battled the Bulldogs to a scoreless draw the first time they squared off.
