TJ GARCIA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Edinburg Economedes goalkeeper Theisa Bigelow started the match sitting on the bench.
She finished the game as the last player standing.
Bigelow stopped five of Edinburg North’s 10 overtime penalty kicks — including the last try of the game by the Lady Cougars — to secure the Lady Jaguars fifth district win 3-2 on Tuesday night at North’s home field. Meanwhile, Economedes made six of its 10 tries to outdistance Edinburg North in the extra period that was dominated by the play of the goalkeepers.
Bigelow, who has played extensively this year as a sub, was thrown into service when Economedes’ starting goalie left with an injury late in the first half. Making five penalty kick saves along with a handful of others during the game was not on her agenda for Tuesday night, but she said she was ready.
“You never know what to expect, you know? Anything can happen in a matter of minutes,” Bigelow said. “One minute is a long time in a soccer game especially when the ball is on your side. Anything can happen. Anything you don’t expect.”
The fact that Economedes was in penalty kicks after regulation was unexpected to begin with. The Lady Jaguars led 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in the game when Edinburg North’s Gloria Gutierrez made a strong run toward the goal and was knocked down and fouled in the penalty box. Officials awarded North a penalty kick, and Sarah Whitesides quickly converted it to knot the match at 2.
That started a flurry of activity where each team notched a shot on goal during the final 60 seconds of the contest. Edinburg North got precariously close to winning the game in regulation with a final attempt with 15 ticks on the clock.
After the final buzzer, both teams lined up their first five kickers for penalty tries, and each squad went 4-1. In the second groups of five, Economedes was stoned by North goalie Nikki Jo Rodriguez on its first three kicks before beating her on the last two. Bigelow stopped North’s first two tries, allowed the third, but then saved the last two to secure the victory for the Lady Jaguars.
“I try to set myself like a penalty kicker and think which way they are going to kick,” Bigelow said.
It worked, and Economedes’ victory earns the team a couple of points and 5-1 record in District 31-6A. Meanwhile, Edinburg North drops to 4-2.
Edinburg North coach Daniel Valdez said the result was simple to understand. His team missed too many penalty kicks.
“The girls played their heart out. They did a heck of a job coming back and tying the game,” Valdez said. “But it’s disappointing. We practice penalty kicks every day. It’s disappointing that we have two or three and shots to win the game and we miss them. I’m pretty sure they (Economedes) feel the same way. We are just going to have to practice more and more and make them when they count.”
North started out with a 1-0 lead after Jasmine Rodriguez found the net with 28:05 left in the first half. But it didn’t hold very long. Economedes’ Ayssa Ozuna blasted a shot past North’s goalkeeper at the 15-minute mark from about 15 yards out. The match was tied until Economedes junior Krysta Armstrong zipped a bullet into the goal’s upper right corner from 35 yards out on a free kick.
Economedes coach Robert Garcia also said his team missed too many goals, but he was happy with his defense and Bigelow’s play.
BY TJ GARCIA
SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
EDINBURG — Edinburg Economedes goalkeeper Theisa Bigelow started the match sitting on the bench.
She finished the game as the last player standing.
Bigelow stopped five of Edinburg North’s 10 overtime penalty kicks — including the last try of the game by the Lady Cougars — to secure the Lady Jaguars fifth district win 3-2 on Tuesday night at North’s home field. Meanwhile, Economedes made six of its 10 tries to outdistance Edinburg North in the extra period that was dominated by the play of the goalkeepers.
Bigelow, who has played extensively this year as a sub, was thrown into service when Economedes’ starting goalie left with an injury late in the first half. Making five penalty kick saves along with a handful of others during the game was not on her agenda for Tuesday night, but she said she was ready.
“You never know what to expect, you know? Anything can happen in a matter of minutes,” Bigelow said. “One minute is a long time in a soccer game especially when the ball is on your side. Anything can happen. Anything you don’t expect.”
The fact that Economedes was in penalty kicks after regulation was unexpected to begin with. The Lady Jaguars led 2-1 with less than two minutes remaining in the game when Edinburg North’s Gloria Gutierrez made a strong run toward the goal and was knocked down and fouled in the penalty box. Officials awarded North a penalty kick, and Sarah Whitesides quickly converted it to knot the match at 2.
That started a flurry of activity where each team notched a shot on goal during the final 60 seconds of the contest. Edinburg North got precariously close to winning the game in regulation with a final attempt with 15 ticks on the clock.
After the final buzzer, both teams lined up their first five kickers for penalty tries, and each squad went 4-1. In the second groups of five, Economedes was stoned by North goalie Nikki Jo Rodriguez on its first three kicks before beating her on the last two. Bigelow stopped North’s first two tries, allowed the third, but then saved the last two to secure the victory for the Lady Jaguars.
“I try to set myself like a penalty kicker and think which way they are going to kick,” Bigelow said.
It worked, and Economedes’ victory earns the team a couple of points and 5-1 record in District 31-6A. Meanwhile, Edinburg North drops to 4-2.
Edinburg North coach Daniel Valdez said the result was simple to understand. His team missed too many penalty kicks.
“The girls played their heart out. They did a heck of a job coming back and tying the game,” Valdez said. “But it’s disappointing. We practice penalty kicks every day. It’s disappointing that we have two or three and shots to win the game and we miss them. I’m pretty sure they (Economedes) feel the same way. We are just going to have to practice more and more and make them when they count.”
North started out with a 1-0 lead after Jasmine Rodriguez found the net with 28:05 left in the first half. But it didn’t hold very long. Economedes’ Ayssa Ozuna blasted a shot past North’s goalkeeper at the 15-minute mark from about 15 yards out. The match was tied until Economedes junior Krysta Armstrong zipped a bullet into the goal’s upper right corner from 35 yards out on a free kick.
Economedes coach Robert Garcia also said his team missed too many goals, but he was happy with his defense and Bigelow’s play.