By ROY HESS, Staff Writer
The competition is so close in District 32-6A girls soccer that it was hardly a surprise the Hanna Lady Golden Eagles and Lopez Lady Lobos went to penalty kicks again Tuesday at Lopez.
Hanna won 2-1 in PKs in a close battle between teams considered among the best in the district. The match was deadlocked at 1 after 100 minutes of regulation and overtime play. The score in penalty kicks was 3-1 for Hanna.
“We’re getting close to the top (in district), so everyone should watch out for us,” said Amanda Alaniz, Hanna’s senior goalkeeper who stopped a penalty kick during regulation and also came up big with a pair of blocks once the match went to PKs. “We also remember that we must continue to work hard to get to the top.”
Prior to Tuesday, the previous time the teams met was Feb. 6 at Hanna, and the Lady Eagles prevailed 2-1 in penalty kicks as well during the first round of district, so another very even match was anticipated Tuesday.
Hanna (9-2, 26 points) kept its 32-6A title hopes alive, and Lopez (6-5, 20 points) remained in strong contention for a playoff spot.
“Lopez is a very hard team to beat,” Hanna coach Jose Morales said. “Their coaches played their girls really well against us. (All) the girls played their hearts out, and it was going to be a very physical match. It turned out to be an extra-physical match all the way to the end.
“Neither team let up,” Morales added. “They were just constantly on each other. Any win is a good win, and at least we’re splitting the points, two for us and one for them. It was to our advantage, and we’re staying up there on the (district standings) board.”
After a scoreless opening half, Natalie Garcia put Hanna ahead 1-0 barely eight minutes into the second half when she dribbled in, broke free of the defenders who tried to stop her and fired a well-placed shot into the left corner of the goal, beating the Lopez goalkeeper in a 1-on-1 situation from about 15 yards out.
Alaniz maintained her team’s one-goal advantage with 23 minutes remaining in regulation when she stopped a Lady Lobos penalty kick attempt after the Lady Eagles were whistled for knocking down a Lopez player in the area.
Still, the Lopez girls battled back and tied the match at 1, thanks to a goal by Carla Gracia from approximately 10 yards away with 13 minutes left in regulation.
Neither team scored during two halves of overtime, although a Lopez free kick almost found the mark but carried just wide to the left with 30 seconds to play in OT.
During the penalty kicks, Hanna went first, and its three players converting their attempts were Adrienne Davis, Julissa Urbina and Samantha Rodriguez. The only one to convert her PK try for Lopez was Jady Ortega.
Alaniz helped secure the win by blocking two of the Lady Lobos’ penalty tries.
“It felt great, and I knew I had my team (behind me),” Alaniz said. “I knew it was not just me because my team was helping me all the way.
“It’s everybody, from the forwards to the defense,” Alaniz added. “I just want to thank them for always having my back. And for the ones who missed in the penalties, I have their back all the time as well. I want them to never forget that I’m always going to be there.”