Despite 3-1 loss in finale, U16 girls kickers compile 15-5-1
record in Delgado League
GILROY – The De Anza Flash finished their most successful season ever Nov. 15 with a 3-1 loss to the MVLA Breakers, the only team that had beaten them this year in the Delgado U16 Girls Soccer League.
The majority of the Flash’s 13 players from Gilroy, San Martin and Morgan Hill have played together for five years. Four of those years were spent in Orchard Valley, initially as the Gators and then as the Flash. This year they played in De Anza. Never had they finished better than .500 before this season’s impressive 15-5-1 record. The Flash finished second in league, second in the Napa Classic and third in District Cup.
On Saturday, due to a knee injury and a wedding, the Flash played with 11. The first half was a sluggish one for the Flash as the Breakers found the net twice. Twice, after changing the ball from the left wing to the right side of the penalty box, the shots were one-touch blasts. The half ended with the Flash down by two.
The first 20 minutes of the second half were uneventful. Then, Flash’s Katie Ramos moved up front. Instead of marking the Breakers’ striker, Ramos now marked their sweeper. The tactic immediately started to pay off with pressure on the Breakers’ goal. Ten minutes later, Ramos scored with a volley from 10 yards out.
From then on, it was war.
In the final nine minutes, both teams attacked. Flash goalie Melanie Regan repeatedly swept up through balls to stop offensive threats. Regan also dove on balls at attackers’ feet to keep them out. With less than a minute left, the Breakers added a penalty shot goal to seal the game.
