The Hilltop High School girls field hockey team defeated visiting Eastlake, 2-0, in strokes last Friday to remain undefeated in Metro Conference play as the 2015 season heads to a close.
The win upped the Lady Lancers league record to 8-0 with four games remaining in regular season play. Hilltop (13-4 overall) hosts Bonita Vista (4-2 in league, 8-6 overall) in a key game Wednesday that could go a long way in deciding this year’s Metro banner.
The Lady Barons are riding a three-game winning streak with victories against Otay Ranch and Chula Vista, both by 3-0 scores, and Southwest (1-0 last Wednesday).
Hilltop enters Wednesday’s game 11th in the Division I power rankings while Bonita Vista is third in the Division II power rankings.
The Lady Barons have six league games remaining, including two against winless Castle Park (0-7, 0-7).
Last Friday’s game was dominated by the Lady Lancers, particularly in the second half and 10-minute overtime period. However, Hilltop could not put a shot past EHS sophomore goalkeeper Gloriana Hinojosa until the strokes tiebreaker when the Lady Lancers outscored the Lady Titans 2-0.
Hinojosa made eight saves in regulation and added three more in overtime to keep Hilltop off the scoreboard. Hinojosa blocked several shots off her chest pad and steered one grass-cutter just inches wide of the goalpost.
Veronica Romero and Arianna Rodriguez scored for the Lady Lancers in the tiebreaker while Hilltop goalie Vanessa Rodriguez blocked two shots while forcing two Eastlake players to miss wide.
“The girls kept their composure and finished when they needed it most,” HHS head coach Janine Dare explained. “Eastlake is a good team. They kept it close.”
The Lady Titans dropped to 5-3 in league play, 7-7-1 overall. Eastlake is 11th in the Division II power rankings.
Otay Ranch (5-3 in league play, 8-11-1 overall) is ninth in the Division II power rankings.
“We played them tough,” EHS head coach Robert Blas noted of last Friday’s match against league-leading Hilltop. “We’re very young. We’re still learning the game. We have one returning senior starter from last year. Hopefully, we can qualify for the playoffs for the second year in a row.”
Metroi Conference
Girls Field Hockey Standings
(Through Oct. 28)
Hilltop 9-0, 14-4
Eastlake 6-3, 8-7-1
Bonita Vista 4-3, 8-7
Otay Ranch 5-3, 8-11-1
Southwest 4-6, 8-8-1
Chula Vista 2-7, 3-11
Castle Park 0-8, 0-8
Wednesday, Oct. 28
Hilltop 1, Bonita Vista 0
Eastlake 4, Chula Vista 0
Southwest 6, Castle Park 0
