CCS D5 Quarterfinals Match - KIPP Navigate at Sacred Heart Prep

It was another beautiful day for a quarterfinals match in Atherton, CA. The KIPP Navigate College Prep Tigers came into this playoff match as the number 8 seed, with an overall record of (14-3) and an undefeated league record of (14-0). They scored 86 goals against 26 for a difference of +60 goals. The Sacred Heart Prep Gators had a modest overall record of (8-7-3). The was the 1st place team in the West Bay - Foothill League, with a league record of (6-1-1).  They might not have scored a lot of goals, but their defense had 6 clean sheets coming into this match.    It didn't take long for the Gators to get their first score on the board. Multiple goals were scored before their coach gave them the signal to stand down and work on possession. The Gators passing and finding players in open space was a sight to see. At certain parts of the match, they held possession for at least 1 minute. Essentially, they clearly had opportunities to pour it on, but sportsmanship at its finest was on display. It was clearly evident that the Gators were stacked with high-level club players, as their high tempo and precise passes to open players kept the Tigers in check.   The Tigers did have a few opportunities to get a score and possibly two, but the Gators defensive players, led by Sabine Mendoza, [player_tooltip player_id='262616' first='Aris' last='Yu'], and Talia Samuels, shut down the high-scoring Tigers offense. Yu played in the US Club Id2 West Training Camp, in which players are selected to the National Selection Team. The dynamic duo of Keilani “Kiki” Baltodano and Alexa Sarabia would have to wait until next season to get another chance to win a CCS playoff match. Baltodano was the leading scorer with 37 goals in the PASL - South Division, followed up by Sarabia with 32 goals of her own.   Other standouts for the Gators were Zoe Grossman, Lauryn Masetti, and Isabella Gonzalez. They all made contributions to getting their team into the semifinals. Next up for HC Armando Del Rio and the Gators is a match against Notre Dame SJ on Wednesday (2-26-25). One more win will put them in the championship match on Saturday. As for HC Allan Plews and the Tigers, they have a relatively young group of players who will be making an impact next season, and I wouldn't count them out, as they will be returning Baltodano and Sarabia and other key players.    Played in the center back position. She distributed the well and found open players making diagonal runs into open spaces. She was calm and composed and made quick and calculated decisions when her opponents applied high pressure. She plays club soccer for SVSA.     Played in the midfield position. Distributed the ball well and recovered when the opponents made runs through the center of the field. She made smooth and precise passes and always found an open player. Her patience allowed her to make great decisions as she moved effortlessly in to open space. She plays club soccer for JSC NPL.     Played as a right forward. She made good runs down the touchline and contributed to the scoring and assist count. She timed her runs with quick one-two passes to get behind the defender. Also made quality crosses to the penalty area and got one or two assists. She plays club soccer for Burlingame SC NPL.     Played as a midfielder. Helped her team by making strong runs to the 18 and by finding open lanes to in the attacking third. She made some quick combination passes and played heads up while scanning the field. Lauren had 2 goals in the match. She plays club soccer for [program_tooltip program_id='280274' first='De' last='Anza Force'] ECNL.     Played as a forward. She showed some burst of speed and made hard runs to the box. She added a goal and an assist. Her timed runs and ability to slip through the defense helped her to get into scoring position.    <a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1893462319218225315">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1893462319218225315</a>   <a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1893470063140733156">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1893470063140733156</a>   <a href="https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1892981725791179019">https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1892981725791179019</a>

It was another beautiful day for a quarterfinals match in Atherton, CA. The KIPP Navigate College Prep Tigers came into this playoff match as the number 8 seed, with an overall record of (14-3) and an undefeated league record of (14-0). They scored 86 goals against 26 for a difference of +60 goals. The Sacred Heart Prep Gators had a modest overall record of (8-7-3). The was the 1st place team in the West Bay - Foothill League, with a league record of (6-1-1). They might not have scored a lot of goals, but their defense had 6 clean sheets coming into this match.