A 1-0 halftime lead turned into a convincing 4-1 victory.
With all the pushing and shoving, and subsequent bodies hitting the grass on seemingly every exchange, it’s a wonder any goals were scored.
But in a game that featured more body checks than a hockey game, the Christopher High girls soccer team managed to stay upright and turned a 1-0 halftime advantage into an all-out rout, beating Monterey Bay League opponent Pajaro Valley 4-1 on Wednesday in Gilroy.
“I’m pretty used to it, it doesn’t really bother me,” Jamie Lanz said about the physical nature of the game.
Lanz’s goal made it 4-1 in the 72nd minute, providing even more cushion to an already comfy advantage.
From the get go, the Cougars had a nose for the net, peppering shots on goal.
“We’ve been working really hard,” CHS head coach Janae Pimentel said following her team’s second straight league victory.
Cailin McCarry registered the first of her two goals on the day in the 13th minute to put CHS on top 1-0.
Freshman goalie Lauren Ginn preserved the slim lead on three occasions in the first half, including a save in the 36th minute, fighting through some congestion in the box to dive on a dangerous loose ball.
The Grizzlies came out on the attack in the second half and Ginn once again kept the Cougars ahead, tipping a point-blank shot just enough to slow it down where she had time to chase it down before it crossed the line.
However, the Grizzlies were awarded a penalty kick as a result of a handball in the box. The Grizzlies converted to put things all square in the 51st minute.
“We have been unlucky a lot this season,” Pimentel said. “I think that’s the third game we’ve had a penalty kick against us. I think it gets the girls frustrated and they come back and really want to win.”
Those frustrations manifested into three unanswered goals.
McCarry delivered her second tally of the game, once again depositing a free kick in the 55th minute. The Cougars dodged a bullet 10 minutes later when a Grizzlies shot ricocheted off the cross bar. Gina Rodriguez made it 3-1, receiving a pass from McCarry as the two charged into the scoring area on a 2-on-1 breakaway. Lanz’s goal concluded the barrage.
“Everything is coming together,” Pimentel said. “We have most everyone healthy so we have been able to start games the way we want.”
The Cougars improve to 3-4 in the MBL.
