Girls soccer earns win

After losing the first three games of the 2008-09 season, Ramona High School’s girls soccer team ended the Barons Tournament by defeating Sweetwater in a December 10 match.

“The girls played a lot better,” said Coach George Garcia. “I think it was a pretty good win for the girls.”

Ramona began the tournament December 6 with a 3-0 loss to Mira Mesa.

“The girls played okay,” Garcia said. “We were trying to find each other.”

Ramona’s second tournament match was a 2-0 loss December 8 to Canyon Crest.

“The girls played a little better in that game, but it was still tough,” Garcia said.

While Ramona had lost its first two games in pool play, Sweetwater had defeated Canyon Crest and Mira Mesa in its first two contests. “We beat a team that nobody thought we should have beat,” Garcia said.

With approximately five minutes remaining in the first half, Ramona scored its first goal of the season to take a 1-0 lead when Naomi Scodellaro converted a Samantha Smith pass into a score.

Sweetwater scored the equalizer early in the second half, but with about ten minutes left in the game Silvia Villegas took a corner kick from the right side. The ball went into the left upper corner of the net, and Ramona’s defense was able to preserve the lead.

“They played very strong,” Garcia said.

With a 1-2 record in pool play, Ramona did not advance to the single-elimination rounds. The tournament, however, gave the Ramona players three games of playing together as a team. “It was a good experience for us playing that many games,” Garcia said. “It’s helping the girls come along.”

The win over Sweetwater gave Ramona a 1-3 record for the season.

“They saw what they can do as a team,” Garcia said. “I think they’re starting to get together.”