Lady Leps Soccer Improves to 4-1 in District; LG Boys Fall to Rockdale
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La Grange’s Miriam Lopez and Eliza Luna in action Friday. Photo by Katy Michalke -
Friday was “Cancer Awareness Night” for the Lady Leps Soccer program. Many members of the Lady Lep program have witnessed cancer firsthand, so the team dedicated the evening to standing with persons and their families battling, surviving or succumbing to cancer. Between the JV and Varsity matches, the Lady Leps presented a donation check for $2,026 to Paws for the Cause. Photo by Katy Michalke
The La Grange Lady Leps Varsity Soccer team got back in the win column Friday, relying on lockdown defense and a second-half goal to defeat Rockdale 1-0 at Leopard Stadium. With the victory, the Lady Leps improved their district record to 4-1. The Lady Leps have won six of their last seven contests.
Friday’s match began as a defensive struggle. Neither team was able to create much spacing in the midfield or respective offensive thirds of the field in the opening half, sending the game into halftime scoreless.
In the second half, La Grange adjusted their attack, including the incorporation of more diagonal and square passing to open up the middle of the field. Despite better play by the Lady Leps, the game remained deadlocked until the final 10 minutes.
The breakthrough goal came via a connection between a freshman and a senior. Freshman Kayden Yanis played a precision diagonal ball from the right side to find senior Kaylee Soto attacking centrally. Soto controlled the pass from Yanis, then beat the defense on the dribble and slotted a low shot to the Rockdale goalkeeper’s right side for the game-winning goal.
While the offense secured the lead, the defense ensured that it held. It was a collective effort from the front line to the back, led by goalkeeper Hope Michalke and defenders Trinity Yanis, Jaley Stork, Eliza Luna, Kayden Yanis and Juliana Vasquez. The Lady Leps secured their fifth shutout in their last seven games.
In earlier action on Friday, the Lady Leps JV team netted a 1-1 tie vs. Rockdale JV. The Lady Leps tied the game in the second half with a scorching goal by Emireth Cerda, with the assist pass by Sasha Espinoza.
Friday was “Cancer Awareness Night” for the Lady Leps Soccer program. Many members of the Lady Lep program have witnessed cancer firsthand, so the team dedicated the evening to standing with persons and their families battling, surviving or succumbing to cancer. Between the JV and Varsity matches, the Lady Leps presented a donation check for $2,026 to Paws for the Cause.
Coach Barry Donovan, still channeling fellow coach Ted Lasso, “The Lady Leps JV and Varsity teams both executed on second half game plans with positive outcomes ... Executed … now that is a funny word, isn’t it? Sounds so grim. But, in this case, it is a happy word. I am talking a golden retriever at a tennis ball factory level of happy.”
The Lady Leps Varsity and JV teams will be road tested this week, traveling to Manor New Tech on Tuesday, February 3 and to Giddings on Friday, February 6. JV kickoff times are 5:15 p.m.; with Varsity kicking off at 7:15 p.m.
The Leopards lost a hard fought battle to the Rockdale Tigers Friday night. After a scoreless first half Rockdale stuck first with a goal to open the second half. After intense midfield play for 20 minutes Aldo Hernandez was able to break free and find a streaking Jeffrey Cabrera who put fancy moves in the goalkeeper and found the back of the net. The game ended 1-1 and went to Penalty Kicks. Despite a heroic effort from goalkeeper Quade Brothers the Leps were unable to find the dagger. The Leps are now 3-2 in district and 7-4 overall. Next game is against Manor New Tech at home Tuesday night.