Gators advance to CCS finals

Terry Bernal Daily Journal Staff
With yesterday’s 3-2 win over Seaside, the Girls Varsity Soccer team returns to the CCS Championship for the first time since 2016, and will meet the winner of Wednesday’s Monte Vista Christian/Woodside Priory match.
Crisis averted for the Sacred Heart Prep Gators.

The No.3-seed SHP girls’ soccer team was as comfortable as could be in the opening minutes of the second half of Tuesday’s Central Coast Section Division IV semifinal against No. 7 Seaside. Up three goals and playing lockdown defense to that point, the Gators got a wakeup call when the Spartans rallied for back-to-back scores to close to within a goal.

When the dust settled, though, SHP (11-5-6 overall) was the last team standing, securing a 3-2 victory to advance to the CCS championship game Saturday at a time and place to be determined.

“They’re definitely capable of scoring goals,” SHP head coach Ramiro Arrendondo said. “I think we caught them off guard in the first half, and in the second half they wanted to respond. And they did.”

The stalwart work of forward Juliana Rosen proved to be enough for the Gators. The sophomore was involved in all three SHP goals, earning assists on each of her team’s first-half scores. On a corner kick five minutes into the second half, she was the fortuitous recipient of a pass off the back post from sophomore Elle Lessing to knock it in.

At the time, Rosen’s score seemed liked a mere insurance goal. Little did she realize it would prove to be the difference in the game.
“At the time, I was just like, let’s finish this off,” Rosen said. “I had no idea it was going to be the decider.”

Seaside (11-2-6) — coming off its first CCS playoff victory in program history Feb. 16 to upset No. 2 Alvarez— responded to its biggest deficit of the season with plenty of fire. Spartans midfielder Maya Ramnauth was moved up front after an early injury to forward Sashana Gore forced Seaside head coach Joseph Aleru to shuffle his lineup.

“She definitely added some offense and speed up top,” Aleru said. “It was definitely a good adjustment.”

Ramnauth responded to her new role by getting Seaside on the scoreboard in the 52nd minute on a breakaway. Then, in almost the blink of an eye, the Spartans closed it to 3-2 when Ramnauth drew a foul, setting up a free kick from 35 yards out; Seaside scored on it when junior Maria Vazquez send in a pearl of a pass for team captain Adriana Meza to hammer home.

But SHP stayed on the attack and created more chances than Seaside in the closing 20 minutes. The Gators missed a golden chance in the 66th minute with Seaside’s goalie pulled out and three attackers in the box, but could not control the ball in time. By the time they did, a Seaside defender darted in and drew a foul to nullify a shot attempt that bounded in.

Seaside had its best chance in the 79th minute when Ramnauth drew a foul 25 yards out. Vazquez lined up the free kick, and tagged it with intent to score, but sent it sailing over the crossbar.

“She’s definitely trying to put one on frame,” Aleru said. “She’s scored a couple this year the same way.”

The second half play was a far cry from SHP’s dominant showing in the first half.

The Gators struck quickly on a beautiful cross, as Rosen sent in an assist for junior Sasha Bellack with the finish.

Rosen chased down a forward ball near the far corner and, in stride, flighted a long pass to Bellack, who received it well into the box. It took a moment for Bellack to control it, but a brief stutter step worked in her favor as it drew the Seaside keeper out. Once Bellack wrestled control, all she had to do was tap it around the charging keeper and into the empty net to give the Gators a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.

“It’s really important, Sasha made a great run to that back post,” Rosen said. “Sometimes, our team has trouble finishing our runs and really getting there. She was really strong and got through there, and completed it and followed through. That really makes a difference.”

The Gators doubled their lead just before halftime.

SHP was forced into a conservative midfield, as Seaside played five midfielders, a wall that caused problems for the Gators, Arrendondo said.

With five minutes left in the half, though, defender Caitlin Carcione set up a push with a majestic header. The senior took a free ball out of the air by lunging into, and over, an opponent while heading the ball in midair.

“She is really aggressive,” Rosen said. “She likes to just really go for it, and I think that adds a lot to the team. … So, I feel like we do normally see that from her.”

Forward Megan Tinsley received the pass and advanced with a shot angling just wide of the post. Just a minute later, though, SHP earned a free kick from 25 yards out. Rosen sent a cross for Tinsley in the box, who muscled through a scrum and waited for an opening before pounding in the score from five yards away, giving the Gators a 2-0 lead in the 35th minute.

“Jules has given us a lot of offense,” Arrendondo said. “She’s an offensive minded player. She gets up in the attack, she has tremendous speed.”

With the win, the Gators return to the CCS championship stage for the first time since 20116. They will meet the winner of Wednesday’s other semifinal game between No. 1 Monte Vista Christian and No. 5 Woodside Priory.

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Sacred Heart Schools Atherton

Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton

150 Valparaiso Ave
Atherton, CA 94027
650 322 1866
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12