Defense holds steady as Lady Yellowjackets defeat San Gorgonio, 2-1

Goalkeeper Zamantha Moctezuma collects eight saves in first game of San Andreas league play

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Senior goalkeeper Zamantha Moctezuma is laser focused on what’s happening down the pitch. She finished the game with 8 saves in a 2-1 Yellowjacket victory.

Colton, CA—What a way to open up league play. 

On the strength of a commanding second half, and a dominating performance by goalkeeper Zamantha Moctezuma, the Lady Yellowjackets girls’ soccer team won their first San Andreas league game this afternoon against the San Gorgonio Spartans, 2-1.

Moctezuma seemed to be all over the place every time the Spartans got close to the goal, swatting, punching, and kicking the ball out of the goal box. She had eight saves total, four in each half, and by the end of the game, the Spartan offense looked all out of ideas as to how they might attack Moctezuma and the Yellowjacket defense.

“Last year we got destroyed by this team,” Moctezuma said after the game. “So I was looking forward to playing them again. It was a little rough at the beginning, but we got through it as a team.”

Despite an early goal by sophomore Anna Bailey in the first minute of the game, San Gorgonio controlled the pace and tempo of the first half. They put up seven shots on goal and kept the ball in the Yellowjackets zone as the team looked slow and a step behind. 

The Yellowjackets’ frustration was evident as both head coach Manny Flores and senior Diana Fernandez picked up yellow cards from the officials.

At the 20-minute mark of the first half, San Gorgonio scored their first goal on a shot from senior forward Marizabel Saucedo. Even though the teams went into the half tied, the Spartans looked like the team to beat.

After halftime, the Lady Yellowjackets came out looking like a different team. They were more aggressive, and communicated better on the field. Laura Yanez knocked in the game winning goal on an assist from Melanie Bravo.*

“It was a good win,” Yanez said. “We tried our best and we deserved it.”

The Yellowjackets get the next few days off before facing off against Rancho Verde High during Winter Break on December 21.

 

*Update at Dec. 16 10:20 a.m.: Laura Yanez scored the second goal of the game, assisted by Melanie Bravo. The original reporting awarded the goal to Anna Bailey.