LA GRANGE — The La Grange High School girl’s soccer team picked up a 1-0 win vs Rockdale High School February 9 at Leopards Stadium. It was an evenly matched game, but it was a big goal from the Lady Leopards in the second half that made the difference. “We have been focusing on really trying to connect passes and play the passing game,” said La Grange head girl’s soccer coach Lauren Hubbert.
“Making sure we’re getting in line, being ready to receive the pass. They worked really, really hard at getting their goal. When we break down the film, we look at our passing strings. We have slowly been increasing our passing strings. We’re improving every single day. Rockdale battles really, really hard. You can tell that the girls have the desire to get in there and play. They battled hard and I’m just thankful that we came out on top on that one. Brisa’s shot was beautiful. I was telling them after the first half, Rockdale was playing pretty tight in the box and we were having a hard time breaking through, especially trying to go through the middle, so I told them to start trying to find the sidelines outside the corners and working on trying to take shots from distance. Brisa did exactly that and we were able to find the back of the net. It was a good confidence booster for my girls and I’m super proud of them for it.”
La Grange senior Brisa Angel launched a shot from about the 20 yard line with just under 28 minutes to play in the second half that soared up and hit near the front of the goal, then bounced over the goalie’s head for the first goal of the game that would end up being the game winning score. “I was just thinking the whole time, just shoot it,” Angel said. “I didn’t expect it to go in, but I was like I’m gonna just shoot it, and it went in. Our team is slowly getting better and we’re working on passes and stuff.”
An all square game for most of the beginning led to Rockdale threatening to score twice within two and a half minutes, with the first attempt resulting in a missed penalty kick from Rockdale. La Grange then put two shots on goal early in the second half, with one coming from senior Natalie Orona at the 33 minute mark on an attempt from the 15 yard line that hit the bottom of the football goal post. Angel’s goal then made it 1-0 and Orona put another hard 15 yard shot on goal a couple minutes later that was saved, then sent to La Grange’s Kaylee Soto for a rebound attempt, but that shot was saved as well. Lady Leopards goalie Jena Jobb would make a save with 10:30 to play that would ultimately seal the game as La Grange was able to defend en route to a 1-0 victory.
