This past Thursday evening, January 30th, the Acalanes Women’s Soccer team traveled to Las Lomas to face the Knights on their home pitch. Since our resounding victory over the Alameda Hornets on Monday night, even more of our players succumbed to nasty circulating respiratory bugs. With only 2 subs, including Grace Eppinger, who graciously agreed to step up from JV to support Varsity, the Dons came out fighting to keep play on the offensive side of the field. Alex Salazar sent a through ball to Lucca DeBiasse, barely cut off by the Knights’ keeper. Livi Foster, taking another turn on defense, forced a Dons goal kick. Tori Hiatt then skillfully dribbled the ball to get out of the backfield. Las Lomas sent a cross easily scooped up by Melisa Adatepe. A questionable foul call gave the Knights a free kick just outside of the box, which unfortunately landed in the upper corner for a goal.
More back and forth in the midfield, then the Knights took another couple of shots, one well over the goal, and the second saved by Adatepe. DeBiasse, Salazar, and Taylor Mikalis pushed the Dons’ offense resulting in a Dons throw-in. More solid defense from Foster and Tatum Keely, then Keely cleared a Las Lomas cross, sending the ball to Mikalis who fed Salazar for a shot, saved by the keeper. Reese Tierney then passed to Salazar, who sent the ball to Eppinger, resulting in a beautiful cross to Mikalis for a shot and 1st Dons’ goal of the night!
Hiatt and Cassidy Smith stopped another Knights’ attempt, whose rebound shot on goal was denied by keeper Adatepe. DeBiasse passed to Stella Hamilton, who sent the ball to Eppinger for a shot wide right of the net. The Knights took another shot high up, bouncing off the crossbar to land in the ready hands of Adatepe. Hiatt and Keely continued the Dons D with more clears, followed by pressure from Mikalis, who won the ball for another shot on goal, deflected for an Aca corner. Hamilton, DeBiasse, Mikalis, and Salazar kept up the offensive fight, with DeBiasse working the ball to Salazar for a shot just over the crossbar. Hiatt and Sof Cerruti took turns winning the ball, with more offensive effort from Sara Tarnai and Eppinger. DeBiasse took a free kick shot, but it was caught by the Las Lomas goalie. The Knights managed to move the ball through for a shot and goal #2 of the night, closing the first half.
The Dons began the second half with Tierney sending a through ball to Hamilton, sadly ending as a Knights’ goal kick. Las Lomas’ pass up front was fortunately cut off by Adatepe, followed by a Knights’ attempt up line thwarted by the lighting speed of Hiatt, resulting in another Dons’ goal kick. Lily Polkinhorn and Tierney worked the midfield, sending the ball up to Salazar for a shot deflected out by the Knights’ keeper. Las Lomas responded with a cross in front of the goal and a shot wide right. Tierney sent another pass to Mikalis who passed on to DeBiasse for a shot punched over the crossbar by the goalie. Salazar and Mikalis took turns sending long shots, but both were stopped by the keeper. Salazar fed Hamilton for another attempt, followed by a shot by DeBiasse, neither finding their way into the net. Las Lomas managed to win another free kick dangerously close to the box that enabled another Knights’ shot and goal #3.
As the minutes ticked down, the Dons kept up their play. Adatepe easily caught a free kick, allowing Polkinhorn to send the ball upline to DeBiasse for a cross disrupted by Las Lomas. Polkinhorn remained tenacious in the midfield to win the ball back, followed by more defense from Foster, who prevented another Knights attack. Hiatt sent another pass to Salazar whose shot was broken up by the defense. Cerruti responded, shutting down another Las Lomas offensive run. Mikalis took the last Dons’ shot for a Knights’ keeper save. Adatepe closed the game, coming out of the goal to stop a last minute Las Lomas attack. Final score of Dons 1, Knights 3.
The Dons will hopefully rest and recover their fallen teammates before they return to the home pitch to take on Alhambra High School on Tuesday night, February 4th: JV at 5pm, Varsity at 7PM. Show up to support Acalanes! GO DONS!
