Sports
GIRLS SOCCER: Paly Can’t Break Through Against De Anza’s Best
Spartans score twice in three-minute span; continue to lead De Anza with one week left to play.
Mountain View 2, Palo Alto 0
The Star: Despite ending up on the wrong side of the final score, Palo Alto senior keeper Alex Kershner was superb in net Monday afternoon. Kershner recorded five saves, including a one-on-one stop on a rocket shot from hard-charging Mt. View forward Elizabeth Brown in the 59th minute. Kershner is set to attend and play soccer for Duke University in the fall.
The Turning Point: A three-minute surge midway through the first half was all that first place Mt. View (13-2-3, 7-1-2 De Anza) needed to fend off league rival Palo Alto (5-9-2, 2-5-2). Goals from freshman speedster Erica Higa and senior Kirsten Belinsky put the home team ahead and they never looked back en route to the Spartans league leading seventh De Anza win.
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The Quote: "The luck hasn’t been on our side." —Palo Alto head coach Ernesto Cruz said about his teams lack of success so far this season. “We’re probably not going to make the playoffs.First time in my six years here.”
What's Next? Paly continues a brutal stretch in league to end the season. Next up for the Vikings is a meeting with second place Los Gatos on Wednesday in Los Gatos.
Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Bottom Line: It was a game dominated by the stronger Spartans squad. The veteran Mt. View team dominated control of the ball and the games scoring opportunities. Paly defenders Mira Ahmad and Gracie Marshall held strong in the back end, but the overall team speed and depth from Mt. View overcame the grit in the 2-0 win from the host school.
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