Paloma Valley Girls Soccer Team Loses Final in 2OT

Paloma Valley goalkeeper Christina Rodriguez (center) gets some help from her defense in clearing the ball following a Temescal Canyon shot Saturday night.

In the midst of the disappointment and tears on the Paloma Valley High School sideline, it was left to the Rock of the team to make sense out of what just happened.

Wildcats goalkeeper Christina Rodriguez calmly put into perspective an amazing girls soccer season that ended Saturday night in a 2-1 double overtime loss to league rival Temescal Canyon in the CIF Division 6 final at Corona High.

"I felt like we could've probably done better, but Temescal did a very good job," said the senior, who had four straight shutouts in the playoffs before Saturday's game. "I'm very proud of the way my team played overall this season. I couldn't have asked for a better senior year. This is something I'll always remember. I'm very proud of every one of them."

Rodriguez will take her talents to Cal State San Bernardino on a soccer scholarship next season. Her final high school game was about as impressive as they come. Time and again she made key saves against a Temescal Canyon offensive charge. The ball was in the Paloma Valley end much of the time from late in the second half on.

Finally, in the third minute of the second overtime period, Temescal Canyon midfielder Cyanne Smith snuck in a shot from a scramble in front of the net (right) to give the Titans (21-4-2) the win and the CIF championship.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Wildcats, who finished the season 14-8-4 in a game that could've gone either way.

"It was off a throw-in," Rodriguez said about the winning goal. "Someone got a header on it and it was kind of like a ping pong ball."

Paloma coach Marie Dillon spent several minutes after the game expressing her thanks to the players for their standout performance all season.

"I'm proud of them," said Dillon, shown here accepting the runner-up plaque. "I couldn't ask for a better team.

"We knew Temescal was a great team. They were shooting on our goal all night and we came up with a lot of saves, but that last one went in."

Saturday's game was the third meeting of the season between the Sunbelt League rivals. The first meeting in league play ended in a scoreless tie. Paloma won the next game 2-1 on Feb. 10 to beat out the Titans for the league title.

But while Rodriguez and a strong defense was leading Paloma to the CIF finals with consecutive shutouts, Temescal Canyon stormed through the first four rounds to set up a rematch that turned out to be quite a battle.

Paloma Valley's only goal of the game came in the fourth minute. After Temescal Canyon goalkeeper Emily Signorio failed to come up with the ball on a sliding save attempt, Chloe Atkins slammed the loose ball into the net for a 1-0 Paloma lead.

The score stayed that way until the 68th minute, when Temescal forward Marissa Everett lobbed a soft shot off a throw-in over defenders and the head of Rodriguez to tie the score.

The Wildcats thought they had won the game with just 1:20 left in the first overtime period when the ball caromed into the Temescal Canyon yet off a scramble in front. The referee ruled the Wildcats offside, however, and the game went to the final extra period.

For a gallery of more photos from the game, check out our Facebook page.

Chloe Atkins (4) battles Temescal Canyon's Sydnee Platner for the ball during the first half.

Paloma Valley senior Bailey Calhoun moves the ball upfield against the Temescal Canyon defense.