Girls soccer: San Rafael, Terra Linda battle to a draw

The girls soccer teams from San Rafael and Terra Linda High met each other on Tuesday with three crucial points and a trophy on the line.

TL’s Samantha Foley scored from distance for the hosts in the first half then San Rafael’s Joselin Romero scored from a tight angle in the second half as the teams split the points with a 1-1 draw.

After the game was over, the teams competed in a penalty shootout to determine who would take home the Bell Game trophy. Romero again had the last word, scoring in the seventh round of penalty kicks to put the trophy back in the Bulldogs’ hands after a 6-5 win in the shootout.

“Everyone didn’t give up, everyone kept trying,” Romero said. “Winning or losing, everyone kept trying and that’s just something about us. We never give up until we catch up.”

TL (6-5-4, 1-1-2 MCAL) came into the game in good position for one of the six MCAL playoff spots as one of three teams tied for fourth place on four points. San Rafael (9-1-6, 0-1-2) came into the game sitting in seventh on one point but with a game in hand relative to the Trojans.

TL put even more pressure on San Rafael in the 30th minute when the ball popped back out to Foley about 40 yards from goal. Foley sent a high-arcing shot toward goal that fell out of the sky just under the crossbar but above the reach of San Rafael goalie Maddy Janzen for a 1-0 lead.

San Rafael created a few chances late in the first half and came close to scoring when Jaela Brown sent a shot just wide of the goal in the 40th minute.

TL kept San Rafael in check for the first 25 minutes or so of the second half before the Bulldogs made a late push to climb back into the game.

Freshman Stefani Brandt took a shot from just outside the 18-yard box in the 72nd minute but TL goalie Jojo Fetterman-Riggle was well positioned to make the save.

About one minute later, the Bulldogs launched another attack when Ashanti Solano played the ball to Romero out wide on the left side of the field.

“I had two defenders behind me so I knew I just had to shoot the ball and make it,” Romero said.

Romero took the ball toward the end line to put space between herself and the defenders but also cut down her angle for a shot on goal. Undeterred, Romero took her shot anyway and tucked it just inside the far post to tie the game at 1-1.

“I saw the goalkeeper more on the left side so I kicked it to the right because I knew she wouldn’t get there and it just went in,” Romero said.

Neither team was able to carve out a genuine scoring opportunity in the final few minutes so Romero’s goal kept the Bulldogs within three points of TL in the playoff race rather than leaving them five points adrift had they lost 1-0.

“I think our hopes of making MCAL playoffs are just one step closer now,’ San Rafael center back Darby Fones said. “It was a really good tie and I’m proud of us for getting a result after being down 1-0.”

The two teams had already played to a 0-0 non-league draw on Dec. 15 meaning possession of the Bell Game trophy required a penalty shootout.

Janzen saved the first penalty she saw from TL then San Rafael converted its first three kicks – highlighted by Jaela’s Browns rocket into the upper-right corner of the goal.

Fetterman-Riggle saved San Rafael’s fourth kick then Daisy Ruiz scored for TL to put TL in front 4-3. San Rafael freshman Yasmin Lopez needed to convert her kick to force sudden death and did, putting it into the side netting to tie the score at 4-4.

Fetterman-Riggle took TL’s sixth kick and made it for a 5-4 advantage then appeared to save San Rafael’s ensuing kick. TL’s celebrations were cut short when the referee ruled that Fetterman-Riggle had come off of her line before the penalty was struck.

Given a second opportunity. Solano converted her kick to force the shootout into a seventh round. TL missed its next kick then Romero slotted home the seventh one just inside the left post to secure the trophy for San Rafael. TL had won the trophy each of the past two seasons.

“(The trophy) is especially dear to my heart because I’m a teacher on campus,” San Rafael coach Nichole Caiocca said. “We talked a lot about getting it back and what it means – to both schools.”

Around the county

• Zoe Clark scored twice to lead Redwood to a 4-0 victory against Archie Williams (4-8-0, 0-4-0) on Tuesday. Kaia Amir scored the first goal and assisted on the second for the Giants (5-4-4, 2-0-2). Claire Grand has Redwood’s fourth goal. Teagan McCormick and Lily O’Shea had assists.
• Luna Diaz netted twice to lift Branson past Casa Grande 3-0 on Tuesday. Diaz opened the scoring in the 43rd minute then Kara Kandakulam scored in the 54th off a Cat Howell assist. Diaz put Branson (12-1-2) ahead 3-0 in the 70th minute, assisted by Julia Myerberg.
• Tatum D’Angelica scored four times to lead San Marin to a 6-0 home win against Novato on Tuesday. Gianna Grasso had the other two goals for the Mustangs (8-3-3, 2-1-1). D’Angelica, Alina Rempe, Katie Maxwell, and Sam Rodas also had assists.
• Ava McMahon scored the game’s only goal as Tam hit the road for a 1-0 victory against Marin Catholic on Tuesday night. Lauren Willard had the assist on Tam’s 18th-minute goal but the play was set up by Mia Yolles. Lila Campbell led the defense for Tam (4-7-4, 2-0-1), which hasn’t lost in seven games and has only conceded twice during that span. Tam coach Dave Presher also highlighted the performance of goalie Fionnula Hall. MC had a huge chance to equalize in the final 10 minutes following a dangerous cross sent into the box by Claire Hunnewell. Tam almost made it 2-0 moments later on a breakaway but Juliana Sokolov came up with the save to keep the Wildcats (3-5-3, 2-1-1) in the game.