Miya Alamares had a determined look on her face as she prepared for a penalty kick in Tuesday’s Sierra Foothill League game against Del Oro. The senior midfielder, one of the two captains of the Davis High girls’ soccer team, aimed at the right side of the net and successfully fired the ball past the Golden Eagles’ goalkeeper. It was the Blue Devils’ only goal of the game.
Despite their increased intensity in the final 40 minutes, DHS could not recover from an early deficit, as Del Oro held on to win 2-1 at Ron and Mary Brown Stadium on a windy night.
“We were looking for a goal to change the game, to give us momentum or adrenaline,” said DHS head coach Sara Stone. “I definitely think we got better, but unfortunately, our energy came too late.”
This marked the first league meeting of the season between DHS (2-1 in the SFL, 4-1 overall) and Del Oro (1-0-2 in the SFL, 2-1-2), though it was the second time the teams had faced off in a meaningful game in the past 11 months. Last February, Del Oro defeated DHS 1-0 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Girls Soccer Playoffs – Division I title game.
Alamares’ penalty kick in the 74th minute, awarded after she was fouled in the box, seemed to spark a late push for the Blue Devils. In the final minutes, DHS moved the ball toward the Golden Eagles’ end, with co-captain Isabella Hazel, midfielders Mia Simmons and Izzy Churchward, and others making key passes. Midfielders Ava Brusca, Caitlyn Garcia, Audrey Aguirre, and Kailani Compton helped control possession, while freshmen Natalia Barker and Samanta Rodriguez also played solidly.
“We didn’t make any tactical changes at the start of the second half,” said Stone. “We were kind of even keel for too long.”
Del Oro, however, relied on its defense to stifle any momentum from DHS. Despite a strong final push from the Blue Devils, the Golden Eagles’ defense held firm to secure the win.
“They’re gritty and good,” said Stone of Del Oro. “There wasn’t anything we weren’t expecting.”
Blue Devil goalkeeper Aubrey McLin made two key saves in the second half.
Del Oro extended its lead to 2-0 in the 46th minute, with a player sneaking in a pass to score at the south end of the stadium. Their first goal came in the 32nd minute, with a shot sliding into the corner of the net.
Davis will return to SFL action on Thursday, facing Oak Ridge at 5:30 p.m.
“I think it’s going to be an evenly matched game,” Stone said of the league.
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