GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
Behind a pair of goals from Lizeth Cantu, PSJA Southwest opened up a three-goal lead by halftime and held on to knock off Mission Veterans 3-1 in a Class 5A bi-district game on Friday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.
The win propels Southwest into an area round tilt against Gregory Portland.
“First of all, it was determination,” Southwest coach Juan Rodriguez said of Friday’s win. “Mission Veterans came out playing hard in the beginning, but we worked our game, how we practiced, and the girls wanted to play.”
The Lady Javelinas entered the playoffs riding high after finishing 12-2 in District 32-5A to claim the first district title in school history.
Southwest didn’t need long into its bi-district opener to keep the momentum flowing, as Salma Gonzalez scored in the fourth minute.
“Every game, if you start with a goal in front really early in the game, it does give you a sense of not comfort, but definitely believing in the game,” Rodriguez said. “Now, they have to adapt to you. Now, they kind of have to open up.”
That pressure was even more squarely on Mission Veterans after Cantu, Southwest’s leading scorer with 17 goals during the district season, found the back of the net twice in the opening half, including once on a free kick.
Mission Veterans turned up the offensive pressure from there, but a change in formation by Southwest kept the Lady Patriots from getting any closer than 3-1.
“We had to readapt,” Rodriguez said. “It was more of a counterattack, which really worked for us.”
PSJA Southwest knocks off Mission Vets
BY GREG LUCA
STAFF WRITER
Behind a pair of goals from Lizeth Cantu, PSJA Southwest opened up a three-goal lead by halftime and held on to knock off Mission Veterans 3-1 in a Class 5A bi-district game on Friday at PSJA Stadium in Pharr.
The win propels Southwest into an area round tilt against Gregory Portland.
“First of all, it was determination,” Southwest coach Juan Rodriguez said of Friday’s win. “Mission Veterans came out playing hard in the beginning, but we worked our game, how we practiced, and the girls wanted to play.”
The Lady Javelinas entered the playoffs riding high after finishing 12-2 in District 32-5A to claim the first district title in school history.
Southwest didn’t need long into its bi-district opener to keep the momentum flowing, as Selma Gonzalez scored in the fourth minute.
“Every game, if you start with a goal in front really early in the game, it does give you a sense of not comfort, but definitely believing in the game,” Rodriguez said. “Now, they have to adapt to you. Now, they kind of have to open up.”
That pressure was even more squarely on Mission Veterans after Cantu, Southwest’s leading scorer with 17 goals during the district season, found the back of the net twice in the opening half, including once on a free kick.
Mission Veterans turned up the offensive pressure from there, but a change in formation by Southwest kept the Lady Patriots from getting any closer than 3-1.
“We had to readapt,” Rodriguez said. “It was more of a counterattack, which really worked for us.”