Live Oak
’s Lady Acorns wrapped up a fine season at the Central Coast
Section Tournament Thursday, losing to third seeded Saint Ignatius.
The Acorns came into the game seeded 14th, but Saint Ignatius knew
it would have its hands full with the Acorns, who had split the
previous two games with them during th
e regular season.
By Paul Marshall Special to the Times
Live Oak’s Lady Acorns wrapped up a fine season at the Central Coast Section Tournament Thursday, losing to third seeded Saint Ignatius. The Acorns came into the game seeded 14th, but Saint Ignatius knew it would have its hands full with the Acorns, who had split the previous two games with them during the regular season.
At the end of a seesaw first quarter, Saint Ignatius got on the board first when they took the ball at the two meter mark, somehow pushed away from Live Oak’s Ronni Gautschi toward the goal, and then fired a point blank shot from one meter in front of the diving Chelsea Carrillo.
Live Oak battled back early in the second quarter, however, tying the game 1 – 1 on the effort and hustle of Gautschi. First, she received the ball near the goal where she was immediately swarmed by two SI players. Gautschi fought through the double team and was about to fire on the goal, forcing one of the players to foul her and get ejected.
Up a player, Live Oak was able to work the ball back into Gautschi who broke free and scored.
SI came right back on the next possession and scored on a long shot from 6 meters out into the high left corner just past the fingers of a lunging Chelsea Carrillo.
Late in the second quarter SI struck again when they posted up in the hole against Laura Shope. The half ended with SI up 3-1.
Early in the third quarter, Live Oak was on the attack, but a pressing SI defense stole the ball, and SI went on the counter.
SI stretched its lead to 4-1 when a Live Oak foul on Laura Melroy put the Acorns down a player.
Early in the fourth quarter a lightning storm hit, causing a one-hour delay before the referees decided to resume the game the next day.
The game resumed with six minutes left and Live Oak came out with a fury as Coach Sharon Hyrne paced heatedly up and down the pool exhorting her team to give it all they had.
The Acorns had gotten two of the SI players in foul trouble and worked their offense for all their might to pull back into the game.
Live Oak scored to draw within 4-2 and that was the final score as Saint Ignatius withstood their challenge and advanced to the second round of the tournament.
Seniors Ronni Gautschi, Laura Melroy, Breanna Sennert, Amy Marshall, Amanda Rosenberg, Alyssa Hendrick, Suzie Burdman, and Kelly Cook ended their high school playing careers in style, going unbeaten in TCAL play, winning the TCAL tournament, and advancing to the Central Coast Section Tournament.
They leave the team in good hands with returning starters Chelsea Carrillo, Ashley Rojas, and Laura Shope to be joined by a crop of talented players including sisters Melissa and Jessica Poon, Alisa Pinarbasi, Suzie Burdman, Shelby Carrillo, and Missy Wilder.
