Girls soccer earns first league victory
Ramona High School girls soccer team earned its first Valley League win of the 2009-09 season at home against Orange Glen.
The Bulldogs led 2-0 at halftime and prevailed by a 6-0 final score on Jan. 13.
“That was a pretty good game for us,” said Coach George Garcia. “The girls played pretty good. They passed the ball well.”
The shutout was the first for Ramona goalie Maria Solis, a freshman. Solis’ ability to play goalkeeper allowed Garcia to utilize 2007-08 goalie Lauren Ray as a forward, and Ray scored the first goal against Orange Glen. Silvia Villegas scored the other first-half goal against the Patriots, while Jessica Russo and Shelby Bush had two goals apiece in the second half.
The Bulldogs didn’t fare as well in their ensuing four games, losing all four by shutout, but Garcia was pleased with the team’s progress and competitiveness.
“They were playing good soccer,” Garcia said. “I think our team’s progressing quite a bit.”
A non-league game Jan. 14 against Rancho Bernardo resulted in a 1-0 Broncos win.
“To hold them to one goal, I was really surprised and really glad that they could do that,” Garcia said.
The non-league Jan. 15 game at home against Escondido was scoreless at halftime.
“They were holding their own against them,” Garcia said of his team.
The Cougars scored once early in the second half before a Ramona lapse midway in the half led to two Escondido goals in five minutes.
A Jan. 20 league loss at home against Valley Center mirrored the Escondido result. The Jaguars scored a goal late in the first half and scored twice during a Ramona second-half lapse.
“They were playing pretty good in the first half,” Garcia said. “We were holding our own.”
On Jan. 22 the Bulldogs hosted Westview, who won the 2007-08 CIF championship.
“The girls again played good soccer,” Garcia said.
Although Ramona suffered its third consecutive 3-0 loss, the Wolverines’ score in the first 10 minutes of the game was not duplicated until Westview scored twice in the game’s final 15 minutes.
Garcia noted that superior teams are able to play a full game and that such an advantage appears near the end of a game.
“They show they’re a little better than us,” he said.
The loss to Westview gave Ramona a 1-4 record in Valley League play and a 2-10-1 overall season record.
“The girls play good soccer. They’re holding their own against some of the top teams in North County,” Garcia said.
The second round of league play begins with a home game today against Mount Carmel.
“Hopefully the second half we’ll get a couple of more wins,” Garcia said.