FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
LA FERIA — The Lionettes began aggressive and stayed aggressive throughout Saturday’s Class 4A bi-district soccer playoff clash against Monte Alto.
La Feria scored two goals midway through the first half and four goals in the second as the Lionettes defeated the Lady Blue Devils 6-1 to move on to the area round where they’ll face Pleasanton at Kingsville’s Mopac Field on Friday.
“It was an excellent win for us, the girls did very good,” said La Feria head coach Norma Tamez. “Their passing was excellent and I think our week of conditioning paid off. I felt that they kept on going and going, and everybody just clicked.”
For the Lionettes’ Cecilia Gonzalez, Saturday’s match is one she won’t soon forget. The senior winger netted four goals on the day and was an attacking nightmare for the Monte Alto back four.
The Lady Devils could not match Gonzalez’s intensity as the senior scored once in the first half and three consecutive goal within a span of 11 minutes in the second.
“Cecilia was very good today,” said Tamez. “She’s a good winger that can give you the outside cross and sometimes she’s there for everything. She had a great game today.”
A combination play from Gonzalez, Clarissa Garza, Jacqi Caballero and Odalys De La Fuente was too much for Monte Alto to handle.
Caballero scored the first goal of the game for the Lionettes midway through the first half. The senior forward notched the goal after a scramble in the box when Caballero was able to poke it home from close range.
La Feria’s other goal came from freshman forward De La Fuente.
The Lady Blue Devils were able to get on the scoreboard with five minutes left in the game as Evelin Alonso notched the team’s lone goal.
Alonso was also shown a yellow card after a strong collision with La Feria’s goalkeeper.
However, Monte Alto did have another scoring opportunity. With less than 20 minutes left to play in the first half, the Lady Devils were awarded a penalty kick that Desiree Garcia sent over the crossbar.
Pleasanton should ring a bell of familiarity for La Feria fans as last year the Lionettes lost to the Lady Eagles 3-1 at home in the second round.