The Bonita Vista High School girls soccer team proved it is not how one starts the season — or a game — that matters most. It’s how one finishes.
The Lady Barons put on a great display of both against Metro-Mesa League rival Eastlake on Jan. 22. The host Titans employed a hurricane-like offensive attack in the first half, forcing BV goalkeeper Amber White to make six saves, including two in which she was forced leave her feet and another in which she was forced to dive along the turf to pluck the ball off the foot of an Eastlake forward.
White made just one save in the second half, as the Lady Titans could not match their intensity level of the opening 40 minutes.
Bonita Vista led, 1-0, to end the first half, as Pascale Dumesnil scored against the run of play in the 39th minute. The Barons scored twice more in the second half with the run of play.
Natalya Romaine scored on a penalty kick with 17 minutes to play and Nikki Miranda made it 3-0 by converting a feed from Dunesnil in the 79th minute.
If there wasn’t a favorite to win this year’s league title entering the 2014-15 season, there is now.
“Bonita Vista is the defending champion until someone knocks them off,” EHS coach Mark Coziahr noted after the game matter of factly. “If we had managed to put in a couple of shots during our run late in the first half, it could have put a different spin on this game. But we didn’t, and we rushed too many plays in the second half because we were too anxious trying to catch up.
“It was a learning experience for our girls. The beauty of league play is that you get to play each team twice.”
The win over Eastlake raised the Lady Barons’ record to 2-0 in league, 8-4-2 overall. Two days earlier, Bonita Vista kicked off league play with a 7-0 win over visiting Mater Dei Catholic behind three goals from Amanda Castillo and a pair from freshman Scarlette Camberos.
“I’m so proud of these girls,” BVHS coach Ryan Marquez underscored. “We had no idea how we were going to put together a line-up because of all the injuries we had. I told our team that Eastlake was so deep that they could sub five players at a time and it wouldn’t make a difference. We made some changes and adjusted.”
The Lady Titans (0-1-1 in league, 9-2-1 overall) played to a scoreless tie at Otay Ranch on Tuesday. It was the third consecutive tie for the Lady Mustangs (0-0-3, 11-2-4) in league play.
* * *
The Barons improved to 3-0 in league, 9-4-2 overall, following Thursday’s 3-0 win over visiting Otay Ranch. Team scoring leader Natalya Romaine (eight goals, six assists) collected goal and assist in the victory while teammate Amanda Castillo (second on the team with eight goals and three assists) also picked up a goal and assist in the game. Sclarlette Camberos chipped in with a goal and assist while Shae Provencher scored one goal to round out the Bonita Vista scoring.
The Barons have not allowed a goal in league play for the last 12 games, dating to the 2012-13 season.
Eastlake picked up its first league win by defeating visiting Olympian, 4-1, on Thursday.
Metro-Mesa League Standings
Bonita Vista 3-0-0, 9-4-2
Eastlake 1-1-1, 11-2-1
Olympian 1-1-1, 14-2-3
Otay Ranch 0-1-3, 11-3-4
Mater Dei Catholic 0-2-1, 8-5-3
