Lourdes girls’ soccer team confident as it begins another push for a state championship
There never figured to be much drama for the Lourdes girls soccer team on Tuesday afternoon when it took the field against Hollywood South Broward.
And there indeed was not.
The top-seeded Bobcats, ranked No. 9 in the state regardless of classification, scored early and often en route to an easy 8-0 win over the No. 8 seeded Bulldogs in a Region 4-6A quarterfinal match at Kendall Soccer Park.
Lourdes advances to the regional semifinal round and will host No. 5 Fort Lauderdale on Friday at 7 p.m. likely at Columbus High School.
“Today was just a matter of coming out here and taking care of our business and moving on which is what we did,” Lourdes coach David Fique said. “We know there is a long road ahead to get back to where we’ve been in past years.”
That’s for sure as there was no celebrating from Bobcat players on this day.
This is a program that has made trips to Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand for the state finals an annual occurrence. Lourdes is looking for its sixth trip to DeLand in the last seven years and, with the state having returned to its true final four format, needs only to win twice more to get there for the semifinals.
The Bobcats scored five goals before halftime and then three more times in the second half. A Veronica Aguilar header on a cross from Tessa Abreu ended the contest on the eight-goal mercy rule with eight minutes left.
Aguilar scored twice while six other players - Nicole Lee, Lorena Alvarez, Alexandra Diaz, Ashely Penne, Catherina Esquijerosa and Abreu - each scored one goal.
While 2018 and 2020 ended well, winning state titles, the last three years have proven to be quite painful as the Bobcats have had to settle for runner-up finishes.
“The last three years have been really difficult making it all the way to the championship game and coming up short,” said Diaz, the senior team captain who has had to endure all three losses.
Last year’s loss in the final to Gulf Breeze was especially tough as the players had dedicated their entire season to teammate and team captain Katy Puig, severely injured in a boating accident before the season that took the life of another Lourdes student. Diaz said that this season has been a little different in that the players aren’t playing with the weight of that on their shoulders.
“Obviously Katy is always going to be in our hearts and I’m going to keep playing for her but there’s definitely a little less pressure this year and I think that will help us in the long run,” said Diaz. “Last year our team was really young playing in the state finals but now all of us have a lot more experience. This is it. My senior year and my last shot at the big prize so hopefully we can get back there and finish it off.”
Diaz’s coach agreed.
“So while we’ll never forget her (Puig) and are thrilled about her progress recovering, we’ve more or less been free from all of that this season and it’s freed us up to just go out there and play soccer with no other things on the side to deal with,” Fique said. “That said, there’s always pressure to win here so we’re taking it one game at a time which is what you’re supposed to do.”
▪ Region 4-7A quarterfinal - Doral Academy 2, Miami Palmetto 0: Rachel Brown and Catherine Cabrera each scored goals and Daniela Todd had an assist. Ayla Ramos made three saves and recorded the shutout. The Firebirds (11-6-3) will next travel to Weston to face Cypress Bay on Friday at 7 p.m.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Pembroke Pines Charter 4, Bayside 0: Riley Ahearn scored three goals to lead the Jaguars (10-3-2). Sage Carey had a goal and Sierra St. Surin and Madison Connacher each had an assist. Madison Casanova recorded the shutout and had two saves.
▪ Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Plantation American Heritage 7, Rockledge 0: Zahira Freeman and Jordyn Norwood each had two goals to lead the Patriots (12-3-1). Mattie Hall and Mia Sommers each had one goal and one assist. Sami Villaverde had one goal. Camila Donne had two assists.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Reagan, the No. 8 seed in Region 4-5A, scored the biggest upset of the regional quarterfinal round on Tuesday, scoring a 1-0 win at Plantation American Heritage. Senior Dylan Sarmiento scored the lone goal in the victory. Enrique Garcia Salazar recorded five saves and the shutout for the Bison (6-5-2), who will next face Belen Jesuit at the Wolverines’ home field on Friday in the region semifinals.
Region 4-6A quarterfinal - Miami Beach 1, Coral Park 1 (Beach wins 4-2 on PK): David D’Alba had a goal and Tomas Cortez had the assist. Miami Beach will travel to Fort Lauderdale on Friday to face St. Thomas Aquinas at 7 p.m.
Region 4-5A quarterfinal - Archbishop McCarthy 4, Riviera Beach Suncoast 0: Daniel Escobar, Jose Sarraga, Rui Castilla and Christopher Aguilar each had a goal. David Prepetit had three assists.
MORE GIRLS’ RESULTS
Region 4-7A: Stoneman Douglas 7, Coral Glades 0; Miami Coral Reef 3, Davie Western 1; Weston Cypress Bay 7, Pembroke Pines Flanagan 0; 4-6A: Fort Lauderdale 4, Miami Varela 2; Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas 5, South Plantation 0; Cooper City 8, Miami Beach 0; 4-5A: Archbishop McCarthy 10, Homestead 0; Merritt Island 3, TERRA 0.
BOYS’ RESULTS
Region 4-7A: Coral Gables 2, Miami Columbus 1; Cypress Bay 1, Coconut Creek Monarch 0; Douglas 2, Palmetto 1; Doral 5, Coral Reef 1; 4-6A: South Broward 1, Deerfield Beach 0; Dr. Krop 3, South Plantation 0; St. Thomas Aquinas 9, Hollywood McArthur 1; 4-5A: Belen Jesuit 2, Mourning 0; Pines Charter 1, Merritt Island 0.