FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
HARLINGEN — With 10 seconds left in the match, Brownsville Lopez’s traveling contingency let their voices be heard as they started counting down the clock at the top of their lungs.
Ten, nine, eight, seven… and when the clock hit zero it signaled the end of a physical and hard-fought match as the Lady Lobos knocked off Harlingen South 1-0 Friday night Boggus Stadium.
“The commitment that the girls showed tonight, staying as a unit, moving up and down the field, was great to see because they (Harlingen South) have a very good team,” said Brownsville Lopez head coach Alex Macias.
“It could have gone either way because they had some shots and we had a couple that hit the bar. But I think the overall performance of both teams was excellent.
“You can tell that these are some of the elite teams out there.”
After a scoreless first half where South failed to capitalize on some missed opportunities, the second belonged to Lopez as the Lady Lobos attacked with every chance they were given.
Five minutes into the second half, Carla Gracia ran past the Harlingen South defense and put away a brilliant shot from an almost impossible angle to break the deadlock and give Lopez the 1-0 lead.
Playing without their leading scorer, Kristie Scandon, the Lady Lobos played with unrivaled emotion through out the second period.
“I think their intensity came from playing without their teammate Scandon who had surgery,” said Macias. “I know it means a lot to her (Scandon) because she wants to be out here and she can’t.
“These girls tell her, ‘you just get better and we’re going to be out here playing for you’ and I think that was the inspiration behind their motivation tonight.”
South had some motivation of its own from all-around star Ruayda Bouls, who made an appearance at the break.
Fresh off helping the Lady Hawks basketball team beat Rivera (by scoring 25 points), the senior came on at the half and provided a noticeable spark.
With 20 minutes left in the game, Bouls got past Lopez’s back four and fired a shot that rattled the bar, missing the only clear chance South had in the period.