Acorns stave off SHS rally for 3-2 victory
MORGAN HILL — Keeping with tradition, the Live Oak field hockey team earned its first victory of the season in exciting fashion Friday against Sobrato.
The Acorns opened up a 2-0 lead with goals by Michaela Swenson and Marisa Faust, then held off a late Bulldogs rally with a second score by Faust to win 3-2 at the Outdoor Sports Center.
“We led by two goals, then kind of checked out,” said Live Oak coach Gina Sanders, whose team lost its opener 3-0 to Presentation on Sept. 2. “We got comfortable and held back a little bit. I wasn’t happy with that, but it was definitely good to get the first win under our belts. That’s a confidence boost.”
Making its season debut, Sobrato put up another solid effort against its crosstown rival only to fall short. The Bulldogs are still looking for their first win against Live Oak after drawing even (0-0) in 2009 and losing 2-1 in 2008.
Sobrato made the latest matchup just as thrilling with goals by Rachel Bakin and Andrea Salem in the span of six minutes.
“Sobrato had a lot of intensity to the ball,” Sanders said. “We felt like they were on us pretty tight.”
The Acorns have benefitted from prep field hockey’s new self-start rule, which allows players to dribble off stationary hits. Live Oak’s defenders, led by senior Lauren Drewniany, have done an excellent job keeping the ball upfield, allowing midfielders to create scoring opportunities, Sanders said.
Faust netted both her goals off shots by junior Kirsten Doting, who had three assists Friday and scored Tuesday during a 6-1 loss to Archbishop Mitty.
“The game’s a lot faster,” Sanders said. “It helps us generate more on offense. We’ve had more corners so far than we had all of last season.”
GIRLS TENNIS
Sobrato opened Mount Hamilton Division play with a 5-2 victory Tuesday over Piedmont Hills.
Alixis Whitaker, Alexa Watanabe and Ali Pecsok won in singles for the Bulldogs, and Allison Bettencourt and Mica Schenkelberg, and Amy Morimoto and Nemerta Cherra triumphed in doubles to clinch the win.
Also this week, Live Oak fell 7-0 to Prospect on the opening day of Santa Teresa Division play.
BOYS WATER POLO
Live Oak senior Danny Robinson scored three goals Wednesday during the Acorns’ 17-6 loss to Valley Christian in nonleague play.
GIRLS GOLF
The Acorns lost 187-228 to Homestead this week and fell to 0-2 in Mount Hamilton competition.
