Gallery • 9 Photos

J. Dollins

Tiffany Abril lines up the kick.

Colton, CA—With head coach Manny Flores not on the sideline, and coming off a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to San Andreas League rivals, Arroyo Valley on Tuesday, it would not have been surprising if the Lady Yellowjackets soccer team overlooked the 2-5-2 team from Jurupa Hills.

Instead, the Yellowjackets played their best all-around game of the season on both sides of the ball, destroying Jurupa Hills, 5-0.

Sophomore Anna Bailey, who has provided much of the offense this season, continued her strong play, netting her first hat trick of the season with two goals in the first half, and one in the second. This included a dramatic goal at the 18:47 mark in which it took Bailey two headers to get the ball past the Jurupa Hills’ goalie.

“I should be playing like this in the games that actually matter,” Bailey said. “This wasn’t even a league game. It still counts, but I should be playing like this every game.”

Melanie Bravo and Samara Barbosa added two more goals in the second half.

While the offense impressed, the defense may have been even more impressive. Led by center midfielder Justine Estrada, the Yellowjackets held Jurupa Hills to only one shot on goal the entire match. The stifling defense was easily their best effort of the season, as the backfield was quick to every ball, and decisive with their passes to the forwards at midfield.

With this victory, the Lady Yellowjackets now look ahead to earning a playoff berth. Four league games remain on their regular season schedule, three of which are on the road. Their next game, against Summit High on January 18, marks their final home game of the season. It will also be Senior Night for six student-athletes on the varsity girls’ squad: Zamantha Moctezuma, Emma Arroyo, Justine Estrada, Bibianna Gonzalez, Diana Fernandez, and Aracely Reyes.