KEVIN NARRO | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
McALLEN — During the final week of district play, La Joya High and McAllen Rowe entered Tuesday’s matchup with one thing in mind: playoffs. A win for McAllen Rowe in regulation would have sealed a playoff berth, eliminating La Joya from contention.
La Joya needed wins in its final two games to clinch a playoff berth. The first step was getting a victory at McAllen Rowe.
For the second time this season, La Joya defeated McAllen Rowe in penalty kicks. The Lady Coyotes won Tuesday’s shootout 3-2 after both clubs went scoreless in regulation. Alondra Palomares knocked in the game winner for La Joya, keeping the team’s playoff hopes alive and well.
“We came in here tonight with the playoffs on our mind. We needed to win tonight to keep our season alive,” La Joya coach Lupe Moreno said. “It was hard to get the girls focused with spring break. And another thing was, the girls had never been in this situation before. At halftime, we woke them up, and told them it was do or die for us.”
Despite the loss in penalty kicks, McAllen Rowe still gained a point, giving the Lady Warriors 15 on the year. La Joya gained two points with the win, putting the Lady Coyotes at 14.
The final games of the District 30-6A season will be played on Saturday. McAllen Rowe will have a tough task as it squares off against McAllen Memorial, the third-ranked team in the district standings. La Joya High meets Palmview, which sits in last place. If McAllen Rowe and La Joya end with the same number of points, La Joya would own the tie breaker.
Both clubs had their opportunities in regulation. McAllen Rowe had a goal wiped out early in the first half due to an offsides penalty.
In the second half, La Joya High’s defense was put to the test, with McAllen Rowe applying pressure for most of the period. The Lady Warriors missed a pair of free kicks in the second half, while the Lady Coyotes also had an opportunity late in the second half via a free kick. Both teams failed to put points on the board.
“Our defense had a lot of pressure tonight,” Moreno said. “McAllen Rowe has offensive weapons that present multiple challenges. We had to make some substitutions late in the game. Our girls got a little tired because of their pressure. At the end of the night, our girls stepped up and made plays down the stretch. The next thing for us is to get back to work and prepare for Palmview.”