Viking defender Grace Dessert (13) vies for the ball
near the La Jolla goal in the second half.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
Coach Kristin "Jonesy" Jones had a positive outlook despite La Jolla's 2-1 loss at Otay Ranch Tues., Dec. 15.
"They played well," the veteran UCSD/La Jolla High coach said after the game, played before a sparse crowd on a cold evening.
After a scoreless first half, La Jolla broke the tie at nil with a Sydney Davey goal early in the second half. It came off a corner kick, deflected off the hands of the Otay goalie.
The Mustangs' Joanna Ortiz then scored the equalizer in about the 47th minute, the ball sailing over the head of a leaping Vanessa Shaffer, the Vikings' sophomore goalie.
The Mustangs' Joanna Ortiz then scored the equalizer in about the 47th minute, the ball sailing over the head of a leaping Vanessa Shaffer, the Vikings' sophomore goalie.
Ortiz came back to punch in her second and winning goal with approximately six minutes left in the non-league contest.
"I liked their response after the second goal," said Jones of her players. "At that point, they could have folded, but they didn't."
She said her side was playing without four injured players, including defender Jessie Penner, who underwent surgery to repair a damaged meniscus Fri., Dec. 11. Jones said they hope Penner will be able to return before the end of the season.
Said midfielder Trisha Turner of her team, "I think that we are still coming together and adjusting to each other on the field. I think our communication is a key factor that could help lead us to more success. I believe in us."
Midfielder Trisha Turner moves the ball
against the Mustangs in the first half.
The 2015-16 season portends to be one made interesting by two factors: one is the fact all of La Jolla's games will be on the road, due to the construction on Edwards Stadium. The other element is the El Nino condition, forecast to bring heavy rains beginning around the turn of the New Year, continuing through January and February into March. Those two elements could make for many wet games played away from the Vikings' home field.
And El Nino could bring some interesting travel, bearing in mind the long trip to Otay for Tuesday's game, which was scheduled to begin at 5 p.m., but which started at 5:15. Traffic to the South Bay on the I-805 was bumper-to-bumper and stop-and-go much of the distance toward Olympic Parkway, an exit to get to Otay Ranch High School.
Jonesy made an interesting comment after the game. It turns out that this won't be the first season the Vikings have played all their games on the road. Last year, the coach said she scheduled games away because the plan at the time was for construction on Edwards Stadium to begin around December 2014.
The plan was later changed, after game schedules were in place, to re-submit La Jolla High's application and include a new press box. That pushed construction back into 2015. With graduation on June 18, the decision was made to hold the ceremony in the intact stadium, then break ground after graduation was done.
Vikings soccer enthusiasts, save up your shekels for gas to travel to away games the next two months.
Jonesy made an interesting comment after the game. It turns out that this won't be the first season the Vikings have played all their games on the road. Last year, the coach said she scheduled games away because the plan at the time was for construction on Edwards Stadium to begin around December 2014.
The plan was later changed, after game schedules were in place, to re-submit La Jolla High's application and include a new press box. That pushed construction back into 2015. With graduation on June 18, the decision was made to hold the ceremony in the intact stadium, then break ground after graduation was done.
Vikings soccer enthusiasts, save up your shekels for gas to travel to away games the next two months.
Copyright 2015 Ed Piper
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