Spartans, Scorpions fit to be tied
Girls' soccer teams duel to 1-1 draw
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers EFFORT- Camarillo High senior Jaimey Farranto, left, and Rio Mesa sophomore Alexandra Chavez arrive at the ball at the same time.

Sometimes a win-loss record means nothing in a big game.

Although the girls' soccer teams from Rio Mesa and Camarillo high schools are struggling this year, that didn't stop the teams from going all-out when they faced-off Tuesday night at RMHS.

With both teams playing stellar defense, Camarillo and Rio Mesa finished the game in a 1-1 draw. The tie put the Spartans' record at 4-11-1 overall and 1-1-1 in Pacific View League play. The Scorpions' record is also 1-1-1 in league, but only 1-8-2 overall.

"I was pleased with the game we played tonight," Camarillo head coach Chris Lawler said. "We always try to play tough against Rio Mesa, and with the type of season we're currently having, a tie in this game is like a win."

Although Spartan head coach Gonzalo Rodriguez was happy with the way his team played, he did admit RMHS had many things to improve on and would not call the game a moral victory.

WENDY PIERRO/Acorn Newspapers CROSSTOWN SHOWDOWN- Rio Mesa High senior Lindsay Armenta, left, battles Camarillo junior Hailey Kearns for a loose ball during Tuesday's match at RMHS. The game ended in a tie.

"We're not treating this like a win; we're treating it just like it is, a tie," Rodriguez said. "I thought the girls worked hard tonight, but we still lack that killer instinct you need to put a team away in the second half."

In the first half both teams were held scoreless thanks to stellar play in the cages by Scorpion junior Brooke Nixon and Spartan freshman Maria Lazaro.

Once the second half began, Rio Mesa wasted little time getting on the scoreboard when Cristal Diaz stole the ball from a Camarillo defender and lofted a kick high into the net above Nixon's arms for a 1-0 lead in the 44th minute.

"That kid (Diaz) is a tremendous player," Rodriguez said. "They couldn't stop her. They were holding on to her jersey all game, and she was still able to score."

Midway through the second half, Camarillo tied the contest when Sara Tolen scored on a corner kick.

"Tonight (Tolen) asserted herself offensively very well," Lawler said. "She was first to a lot of 50-50 balls, and she did a good job controlling midfield."

Although the Spartans controlled the ball in their zone the last two minutes of the game, they were unable to capitalize, and the match ended deadlocked at one.

"This is the first game were we gave up the first goal and didn't lose 2-0," Lawler said.

"I have a corny little code word I yell to the team after we get scored upon that tells them to forget about it; its water under a bridge. We did a good job of fighting back and communicating with each other in the second half."