2008 Woodie Awards
Dons lose 2-1 against West Valley
Darren Rous
Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: Sports
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Head Coach Cheryl Owiesny has lead her team through every soccer coach's biggest nightmare, losing a goal keeper. Early in the season, the teams primary goal keeper became injured.
Without a backup, Owiesny looked for a field player to step up and protect the sacred net. Nicole Oliver stepped up, and while learning a new position for the team allowed only 1.1392 goals a game. However, Oliver can now return to her regular position because De Anza has found a new goalie from their roster, Nancy Gonzalez.
De Anza's women's soccer team came into last Tuesday's game against West Valley with a respectable 7-3-3. After the first half, the Dons found themselves down 2-0. At half time, the team rallied together and came onto the field roaring, but the Vikings seemed to have impervious defense.
The Don's had two close chances to score, but a missed header and an off sides goal kept De Anza scoreless. The team was down by two, with only three minutes left in the game. Just into the 87th minute, sophomore April Grolle connected with nylon, her sixth of the year, cutting West Valley's lead to one.
As the ball stayed on the Viking side of the field, De Anza kept adding momentum, and at times seemed destined to prevail against the Vikings. But the clock and the opposition were too much, as play was stopped after player Tiffany Jew slashed a shot off the top of the goal and out of play, calming spectators' racing hearts after the exciting finish.
Sophomore Tanya Faris clearly states the high expectations that come with donning the cardinal and white colored uniforms. "We expect to go all the way to the final four, if we can keep our rhythm on the field," she said. The final four isn't out of reach for the ladies. With central defense Jasmine Stevens and Jenny Kute leading the way on offense, the Dons' balanced on-field attack is one to be feared by other teams.
Currently seeded 12th in the region, the Dons have a comfortable four spot cushion to make the playoffs. Making the playoffs is the main goal. Just ask Stevens, who scored one of three goals last season to beat the then 21-0 Yuba 49ers.
These superwomen will need everything they have to finish out the final five games of the season, with the most crucial being on Nov. 2 against division rival, Cabrillo, with a 4-1 record in division play.
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