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WINCHESTER — There is a good deal of will and a bunch of want-to in Lina Watkins’ game. Also, plenty of winning.
Watkins’ tenacity led to both of Tahquitz’s goals Wednesday, including the game-winner off her own foot in the 75th minute, as the Titans slipped past Liberty, 2-1, in a key Mountain Pass League girls’ soccer match. The victory gave Tahquitz (7-3-1, 4-0-1 in league) a little breathing room atop the standings.
“Lina can run all day and not stop,” said Tahquitz assistant coach Diego Cordero. “She is always up there and ready to go, whenever.”
The ball seemed to be on Watkins’ foot for most of the night, no matter the amount of traffic she found herself battling.
In the closing minutes, when the match appeared headed for a draw that would have left a logjam at the top of the Mountain Pass standings, Watkins had her biggest moment. Winning the ball on the left side, she pivoted and struck quickly to go over the top of keeper Abbey Torres.
“I was looking to go top corner,” Watkins said. “I like to go there.”
After a scoreless first half, Watkins helped the Titans stun Liberty (6-5-3, 3-2) less than three minutes after intermission. Gaining possession to the right of goal, Watkins sent a dangerous cross that eluded Torres and was deflected in by Vivica Ambriz.
It was a sudden payoff after a frustrating first half for the Titans. Throughout the first 40 minutes, Tahquitz repeatedly created dangerous opportunities with long balls. Four times in the first 20 minutes, however, the chances were erased by offside calls.
“It’s attention to details, checking and making sure they come back (onside),” Cordero said. “We’ve got to work on that. We could have probably had a couple more (goals).”
Liberty responded to Ambriz’s goal with an effective pushback, though it took awhile to pay off. The Bison peppered Tahquitz keeper Avery Ros with shots before netting the equalizer in the 65th minute. Malia Russell pounced on a loose ball and fired a dart to the far side.
Playing without seniors and shorthanded due to injuries, Liberty has reason for optimism heading into the second half of league play.
“We’re still learning to play together.” Bison coach Emma Bennett said. “We’ve been replacing players and having players at different positions. We’re making it worth with what we’ve got.”
The match got physical in the second half, something that Cordero didn’t mind.
“When it’s a tough game, that’s when we play the hardest,” he said. “If we want to get to CIF and win the league, we’ve got to play every game like it’s our last.”
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