Massive puddles and poor footing were the order of the day
during the Live Oak High boys soccer team
’s first-round Central Coast Section playoff match on Tuesday.
But neither the weather nor a familiar foe could slow down the
determined Acorns, who sloshed their way to a 1-0 victory over
visiting league rival North Salinas.
Massive puddles and poor footing were the order of the day during the Live Oak High boys soccer team’s first-round Central Coast Section playoff match on Tuesday.
But neither the weather nor a familiar foe could slow down the determined Acorns, who sloshed their way to a 1-0 victory over visiting league rival North Salinas.
No. 6 LO (16-1-5 overall) advances to the CCS quarterfinals, where it will play No. 3 Mountain View (12-5-4) today at noon at PAL Stadium.
“I think (the field conditions) slowed us way down,” LO coach Tony Goble said. “It really equalized play. But we knocked the ball around and controlled the ball, and our defense played pretty strong.”
LO got its lone goal early in the first half from Anthony Razouk, who nailed a left-footer past the Viking goalie from about 30 yards out, and the Acorn defense made it hold up.
LO’s defense, led by Nick Mott, Hassan Abdullahi and Razouk, along with midfielder Anthony Avalos, controlled possession and frustrated any concerted North Salinas offensive attack.
“Getting quick touches on a muddy field (was the key),” Razouk said. “I think the conditions kept the score close but we didn’t play very well.”
LO had beaten and tied NS in league play.
LO girls soccer
Already one of the top scoring threats in the area, Live Oak High’s Michelle McDonald simply shifts into another gear in the postseason.
On Wednesday, McDonald tallied her third hat trick in her last five playoff matches, leading the Lady Acorn girls soccer team to a 6-2 blowout win over visiting Menlo Atherton in the first round of the Central Coast Section playoffs at Richert Stadium. LO earned a spot in the CCS quarterfinals, to be played today at PAL Stadium, with the win.
“I know that’s (scoring) my job,” McDonald said. “A lot of our starters, this is their first CCS playoffs and I wanted to make sure they weren’t nervous. The way I play, my intensity, is pretty important.”
The senior forward tallied two of her three goals in the second half to break up a 2-2 halftime tie and lead the rout.
Though LO essentially controlled play for most of the match, the Acorn defense surrendered two goals to Bears forward Katherine Daiss, who’s on her way to Cal next season.
LO coach Tony Vasquez blamed his team’s inexperience for the slow start. The defending CCS Division I co-champions lost four key senior starters off last year’s squad and have a handful of new starters.
“First off, we looked kind of nervous,” Vasquez said. “In the second half, we made some adjustments and we calmed down, and we played pretty well.”
No. 10 LO (10-6-5 overall) also got goals from Lena Marsh, Jenny Emick and Jenny Carroll in the win.
The Acorns will play No. 2 Santa Teresa (10-5-4) in the CCS quarterfinals. Last season, LO finally beat the Saints, after years of postseason futility, to advance to the CCS finals, where the Acorns tied Leland.
