Garcia, La Reina Beat Clock
La Reina High midfielder Karina Garcia’s last-second heroics gave her team a badly needed win.
Garcia scored during injury time to lead La Reina to a 1-0 win over Oak Park in an evenly played Tri-Valley League girls’ soccer game Wednesday night in Oak Park.
“It’s amazing. I thought it was going to end in a tie,” said Garcia. “We wanted it. This is a big game for us.”
Garcia headed in the goal off a cross from Lindsey Free, but the ball took an odd turn. It carried up with backspin and, just as it appeared headed over the crossbar, it fell into the net.
“I wanted one,” said Garcia. “I just hit it with my head. It was all teamwork. We work really hard as a team.”
The victory moved La Reina (9-4-1, 5-2) into a tie with Oak Park (13-7-3, 4-1-2) for second place in league, one game behind Bishop Diego.
Both teams had opportunities to score but neither could cash in. Oak Park managed a 19-13 shot advantage, but both teams traded momentum throughout the game.
“I saw it as an even game,” said Coach Ted Eggleston of Oak Park. “Both teams had their opportunities. We have to finish when we have the opportunities and we haven’t been doing that.”
Oak Park’s best chance to score came in the 38th minute when forward Cindy Verity beat goalkeeper Annie Steuhrmann to a loose ball in the penalty box and took a shot on an open net. But La Reina defender Kimberly Albert kicked the ball out of danger just before it could cross the goal-line.
“I didn’t know if it was going in or out,” Albert said. “I’m glad I was there.”
La Reina defender Lindsay Sehnem almost caught goalkeeper Liz Young off the goal-line on a direct kick from 35 yards late in the first half, but Young, while backpedaling toward the goal, managed to punch the ball out of danger.
