LJ FH 3, Bonita Vista 0

Midfielder Jenna Harmeyer was awarded an endline shot a short distance to the left of the Bonita Vista goal. She pushed the ball to Kelly Collins, who rifled it into the net for a 2-0 La Jolla lead late in the first half.

Collins had all three goals, as the Vikings shut out the Barons 3-0 in Bonita Sept. 30.

Senior forward Gabby Person, who looks younger, impressed with her leadership in pregame warm-ups coaching her teammates and then, just before opening tap, calling all defenders together and discussing defensive points--all without Coach Paula Conway hovering over her.

Harmeyer, who tends to use fewer words, likewise showed a seriousness in the pregame captains meeting with referees and in her focused demeanor during the game.

Conway told her team before the game, "You are a great team. You've just had some breaks go the other way." She then pulled out a copy of the day's sports page from the UT and read the latest field hockey rankings. Mentioned in the "other teams receiving votes" was Bonita Vista, with La Jolla nowhere to be seen.

"You are a great team." Coach Paula Conway to her squad

Said Conway: "They are here in South County and received votes. I want you to show them that you are a better team."

With that motivation, La Jolla went out and, after an initial stretch of testing each other by the two teams, the Vikings began to force the ball more into their attacking half of the field more of the time.

Senior midfielder Izzie Melvin has a removable Velcro cast on her wrist after a hairline fracture suffered with 15 minutes to play in a game against Canyon Crest. She expects to be back soon.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper