For two years straight, the Live Oak High girls soccer team
watched Santa Teresa crush the Acorns
’ hopes in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
For two years straight, the Live Oak High girls soccer team watched Santa Teresa crush the Acorns’ hopes in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
The third time it was Live Oak’s turn.
Thursday night, the Acorns ended its postseason frustration with an exhultant 1-0 victory over their nemeses, the Saints, in the CCS Division I semifinals at Milpitas High.
Live Oak coach Tony Vasquez said his team was due to reach the CCS finals after the last few years of near misses.
“Finally, we win (in the semis) — this is long overdue,” Vasquez said. “It’s just incredible.”
Live Oak senior midfielder Janae Pimental, who suffered through every one of the Acorns’ playoff failures as a four-year varsity player, said the victory was especially sweet coming as it did against Santa Teresa.
“This means a lot,” Pimental said. “We’ve never beaten them in my four years.”
Ironically, the win set up another rematch of sorts for No. 6 Live Oak (16-3-4) in the finals. The Acorns will take on No. 3 Leland (12-7-3), which beat No. 2 Aptos earlier Thursday to advance to the finals.
Live Oak is scheduled to play Leland, which is coached by Vasquez’s brother John, on Saturday at Valley Christian High. The time will be announced by CCS officials today.
For information about game time, visit the CCS Web site at www.cifccs.org
Three years ago, Leland and Coach John Vasquez ousted Live Oak from the CCS playoffs by beating them in the semifinals. And, don’t think that won’t be the subject of conversation between the two in the next few days — they live together in Morgan Hill.
Earlier this season, Live Oak beat Leland 1-0 in a scrimmage arranged by the brothers. But Live Oak’s Vasquez said that match will have no bearing on Saturday’s finals.
However, the all-in-the-family finals match-up almost didn’t happen.
In the first half against Santa Teresa, Live Oak played almost listlessly, appearing to watch the action at times while the Saints pushed the pace. Santa Teresa looked to be dominating play and had several good chances to score in the first half.
Only an outstanding defensive effort led by senior Bridgette Bonfiglio held off the Saints charge.
“They played like they were afraid to lose in the first half,” Vasquez said.
Pimental said the Acorns didn’t have their usual drive in he first half and admitted to being nervous.
“We didn’t have the intensity until the second half,” she said.
After a stern halftime speech from assistant coach Christina Adames, though, Live Oak came out determined, pushing the ball into the Saints zone and creating scoring chances.
The breakthrough came 16 minutes into the second half when Pimental sent a long pass down the left side to junior forward Michelle McDonald, who broke free of a close mark by two Saint defenders. McDonald blasted a curving shot toward the Santa Teresa goal that the Saint goalie appeared to have covered. But the ball bounced off the goalie’s block and sophomore midfielder Jenny Emick nailed the rebound into the net for a 1-0 lead.
That was all it took for Live Oak, which held off the final Santa Teresa charge with its vaunted defense. The Acorn “D” picked up its 16th shutout of the season.
Earlier this season, Live Oak played Santa Teresa to a 0-0 tie. But in the playoffs the No. 8 Saints turned it on, upsetting No. 1 Palo Alto along the way.
