Save after save, East Los Angeles College could not score against goalkeeper Alicia Sala. EC fought its way to a 2-0 victory over East L.A. with Sala providing the shutout at Murdock Stadium on Friday.
“It’s my first year here, so I’m just going out there for my teammates and trying to impress people out there,” Sala said.
One save came when the shot attempt bounced off the post and went right into Sala’s hands.
The offense was slowed down by many offside calls, which hindered EC’s opportunities to increase the lead.
“There were a lot more calls missed from both sides,” Baquero said. “It affected us a little bit, but we can’t control officials, we can only control what we do.”
Stephanie Hall, one of the team captains, and forward Justine Savala both scored goals during the game.
The first goal came when Hall raced past the defender and slid as she kicked the ball into the goal.
Despite the successful shutout, the team’s performance was far from their best.
“It wasn’t the best game we played, but we got the win,” Baquero said.
The Warriors had trouble moving the ball at times, in addition to keeping the ball away from their goalkeeper’s side of the field.
Towards the end of the game, tension began to grow as calls made by officials were heavily disputed. Fouls began to pile up, and officials watched carefully to make sure things didn’t escalate.
“It definitely got to us,” Sala said about the officiating. “It was getting rough out there.”
Despite the obstacles, EC took the win.
The team is now 3-5 in league play with the win against East LA. The Warriors’ next game will be on Friday where they will be looking to continue their win streak against Mt. San Antonio College at Murdock Stadium.