A backpedaling, left-handed stab here, a perfectly timed, slide-tackling save there.
In a non-conference matchup between Sobrato and San Benito on Thursday afternoon in Hollister, it was keepers Maggie Cropp and Elizabeth Miller who stole the show, not to mention both squads' physical, pesky defenses.
The two teams finished in a scoreless tie.
With neither team able to find the back of the net after 80 minutes of soccer, both San Benito (1-3-2) and Sobrato (2-1-2) will perhaps take the upcoming holiday downtime to focus on one thing - finishing.
"These teams were evenly matched," Sobrato head coach Paul Nishimatsu said. "We had just as many opportunities to win today, we just didn't finish. A perfect example was that last one."
In the closing minutes of the second half, Sobrato's Bekah Inouye received a through ball from a teammate and sprinted past her defender for a breakaway on net. But just 18 yards out, Inouye's touch pushed the ball slightly ahead, and the keeper Miller came flying forward as a result.
"I just went for it," Miller said.
Inouye still managed to get off a shot, but Miller's slide-tackling stop prevented what likely would have been a game-winning goal.
"I kicked it straight at the goalie," Inouye said. "I didn't really look up until I was right next to her."
San Benito head coach Ben Alvarez said his goalie's confidence and communication has seen drastic improvements since last season.
"Last year, she never would have come out on that," Alvarez said. "Today, she saved the game. That was a true breakaway and she sacrificed her body and saved us."
Miller's feet-first save wasn't the only impressive feat on Thursday, though. On the opposite end, Sobrato's Maggie Cropp showed why she was recently chosen to the Olympic Development Program's 1994 state team.
"She deserves it," Alvarez said. "She was awesome."
The Bulldog sophomore turned back each and every one of San Benito's first-half scoring opportunities, including one from Baler Hannah Cobb.
"She's amazing," Nishimatsu said of his keeper.
Cobb, kicking from the corner, tried to bend one to the far post midway through the first half. But Cropp, who was backpedaling along the goal line, reached up with her left hand at the last moment and punched it out toward the left side.
Cropp, meanwhile, noted San Benito's unwavering attack.
"They had a really fast forward and they had the girl who could throw in really far," Cropp said, referring to San Benito's speedy Karly Leon and power-arm Sara Yamasaki. "We had to have strong defense on them."
Sobrato's back line included Dawn Watts, Kate Van Kuelen, Rachel Bakin and Alyssa Gummow.
"They were pretty quick and they were always on your back, so we couldn't get a shot off," Yamasaki said. "They were always on us, marking us, as soon as we started to attack."
San Benito still managed to take 19 shots on net, most of which came in the first half, including a free kick from Cobb that bounced off the crossbar.
"We practiced that last night, how we need to contain and form an attack, and it worked to perfection," Alvarez said. "But I've got to give it to their goalie. I don't know how she stopped those shots."
The Bulldogs garnered six shots on goal, including one off a corner kick that escaped Miller's grasp and appeared to be rolling into the net. San Benito's Kaitlyn Fontaine punched it out at the last moment, however.
"We were still able to create opportunities," Nishimatsu said. "We continued to do that. We just weren't able to finish."
San Benito's defensive unit of Marissa Adame, Samantha Moreno, Victoria Perez and Fontaine kept the rest of Sobrato's attack at bay, although Sobrato certainly made the game interesting in the second half.
"Teams like this, that's who we need to play," Alvarez said. "It will only get us better for league."
TEAM 1 2 F
SOBR 0 0 0
SANB 0 0 0
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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