Heritage shows strong defense, comes up short in 1-0 loss

By Parker Costin, Correspondent

The Heritage girls soccer team lost a close game to JW North on Tuesday night by the final score of 1-0. This was a great defensive game for the Patriots, as they were able to keep the Huskies at bay, only allowing them 10 shots throughout the course of the game.

The first half was a great start for the Patriots. They held a five-minute offensive possession to open the game. During this long possession, freshman Rebeca MayHernandez had a great look but just missed the net by a few inches. This was followed by another great scoring opportunity set up by senior captain Lexie Jimenez to junior Anastacia Martinez. Unfortunately, these shots were the only opportunities for them throughout the first half.

Goalkeeper Brisa Quiroz had a remarkable game, blocking 8 shots. A notable block was on a penalty kick in the first half, when she was able to slide to the right and block the shot. That led to the Huskies taking a rebound shot and getting blocked again by Quiroz.

Patriots head coach Michael Mattison had high praise for Quiroz’s performance.

“We played a really tough opponent; they were really strong from the beginning of the game,” Mattison said. “We felt we played a great game, and thankfully she was able to get us out of some really tight situations and keep the score at a standstill for a bit.”

Quiroz was a cornerstone for the Patriots’ defense, allowing only one goal from a penalty kick.

The second half started out fairly the same. The Patriots were able to gain and maintain strong offensive pressure, getting great opportunities but unfortunately not able to capitalize on the offensive side of the ball.

Early in the second half, sophomore Zoey Romero went down with an apparent leg injury, but it didn’t appear to be anything serious. She was able to return halfway through the second half. Towards the end of the game, the Patriots were awarded 3 minutes of extra time, but they were not able to score on a couple of corner kicks and fastbreak opportunities, even with their goalkeeper pulled.

Even after the tough loss, the Patriots continue to be positive and optimistic about the playoffs. Coach Mattison has high praise for his group.

“So far we’ve had a great season, we’re still in a place where we have a chance to win league, and we have a chance to win CIF,” he said. “We need to finish strong and play well in our last three games to make that happen, but that’s our goal for the rest of the season.”

The Patriots’ record falls to 12-7-1 on the season. They look to bounce back from defeat when they take on Orange Vista at home on Thursday night.