After 80 minutes of regulation soccer between the two teams, and
after two 10-minute overtime periods were nearly complete, host and
No. 5 Santa Teresa deposited the game’s only goal in roughly the
100th minute of the game
— the last 60 seconds of overtime — to earn a heartbreaking 1-0
OT win over No. 12 San Benito in the opening round of the Central
Coast Section Girls Soccer Championships on Wednesday in San
Jose.
SAN JOSE
San Benito head coach Ben Alvarez called it devastating, but by the details of how the Baler girls’ game against Santa Teresa transpired, that may be an understatement.
After 80 minutes of regulation soccer between the two teams, and after two 10-minute overtime periods were nearly complete, host and No. 5 Santa Teresa deposited the game’s only goal in roughly the 100th minute of the game — the last 60 seconds of overtime — to earn a heartbreaking 1-0 OT win over No. 12 San Benito in the opening round of the Central Coast Section Girls Soccer Championships on Wednesday in San Jose.
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There were few dry eyes on the Baler sideline afterwards.
“Yes, even the coach,” Alvarez said. “It was tough. I feel for them.”
The game-winning goal came at the very end of the second of two 10-minute periods, and also with a bit of controversy.
With the ball in its own end, San Benito was defending a throw-in attempt when Baler forward Karly Leon was noticeably tripped, Alvarez felt. However, referees never blew their whistle, and the brief window of Leon going to the ground and the Baler players waiting for a call allowed Santa Teresa enough of an opening for Rachel Christensen to deposit the eventual game-winner.
“He didn’t call the foul and it went against us,” Alvarez said. “It was just a matter of a couple of seconds.
“It was an unfortunate situation for us. We fought that game. But it was a clear foul from just outside the 18-yard line.”
With little time left on the clock then, San Benito was forced to quickly regroup, but it couldn’t find the equalizer.
Said Alvarez, “It was too late.”
“I was happy because my girls were playing awesome. They played their best game of the whole season,” he added. “We took so many shots, hit the crossbar a bunch of times. It was amazing. They played with heart.”
Had neither team scored during the two 10-minute overtime periods, the game would have been decided by penalty kicks, which would have suited Alvarez fine.
Although keeper Marissa Espino was injured during halftime warm-ups, goalie Anissa Stanton played the full game Wednesday, and made 16 saves on 23 Santa Teresa shots.
San Benito, meanwhile, took 18 shots on net in the game.
“I’m very proud of the kids. They played with heart, and so much intensity,” Alvarez said. “The result was not what I’d hoped. But we need to regroup and try to do it again next year.”
San Benito, now 0-7 in the postseason, remains in search of its first CCS playoff victory. Wednesday’s painstaking loss was only San Benito’s second this season, but it’s now eliminated from Division I play with a 14-2-5 overall record.
Santa Teresa advances to Saturday’s quarterfinal round against No. 4 Watsonville (15-3-1). Kickoff is 12 p.m. at Aptos High School.
TEAM 1 2 OT1 OT2 F
SB 0 0 0 0 0
ST 0 0 0 1 1
