Lady Acorns host first-place Willow Glen on Friday
SAN JOSE — You could say Live Oak coach Tony Vasquez was being modest Monday when he said his Lady Acorns are “starting to come together defensively.”
Live Oak has won five straight and in the most cunning fashion — six games; six shutouts; one tie.
The latest came Friday, when the Acorns battered winless Oak Grove 5-0 in a BVAL-Santa Teresa Division match in San Jose.
Live Oak has not surrendered a goal since Jan. 14. The Acorns’ last defeat was 11 games ago — a 2-1 loss to Del Mar on Dec. 17.
“I’ve stressed defense all season, and the team has responded well,” Vasquez said.
Live Oak, which scored four times in the second half, got two goals from Amanda Morgan and one apiece from Megan Rauschnot, Emily Kyle and Lysette Abarca. Rauschnot also had two assists; and Morgan and Mika Matsumoto one.
The Acorns scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second half, including a spectacular tally by Morgan. The The sophomore midfielder first-timed a cross from Rauschnot, who dribbled through two defenders down the sideline.
“I got on the girls at halftime,” Vasquez said. “We were up 1-0, but they were kind of lazy in that first half. They really picked it up. We scored in the first 30 seconds of the second half.”
Live Oak improved to 13-1-1 overall and 9-1-1 in the division. The Acorns remained in second place behind the Willow Glen Rams, whom Live Oak will host Friday in the Morgan Hill Outdoor Sports Center. The Acorns first will travel to Lincoln on Wednesday.
The situation is eerily similar to last year when the Acorns lost the division lead in their final match of the season, missing the CIF-Central Coast Section playoffs in the process.
The Santa Teresa Division is allotted one automatic postseason spot — for the champion — but will likely get a wild-card team in, Vasquez said.
“The girls are doing a great job staying focused and taking it one game at a time — that’s what I’ve been saying all season,” Vasquez said. “Willow Glen and Live Oak are two great teams with great records. I think we will both get in.
“It’s a big week, and it starts with Lincoln.”
