CHICO — Injuries finally caught up with the Chico High girls soccer team. It started with a broken wrist from senior midfielder Morgan Kennedy, then Division I University of Illinois commit Tatym Dever tore her ACL. Then the Panthers’ top defender, Reese Burke, tore her ACL.
In Tuesday’s CIF NorCal Division II playoff game Chico entered with defender Sabrina Agnew playing on an injured foot. Twenty minutes into the game the Panthers lost senior defender Bailey Hirschberg to a sprained ankle. With 15:30 left in the second half junior Carley Hurd exited with a wrist injury after coming down hard leaping into the air, and senior forward Rachael George appeared to be limping in the final minutes.
After winning the Northern title and not losing a game in league play, the Panthers’ season came to an end Tuesday in a 4-0 loss to Cupertino-based Homestead in round one of the CIF NorCal Division II playoffs at Panther Stadium.
“They grinded, grinded, grinded and it finally caught up at the end,” said Chico head coach Tiberiu Marinescu. “The girls tried their best, and I can’t fault them. Every single girl that stepped on the pitch gave it 100% tonight. I’ll remember this team and how amazing these girls did, and how they went undefeated in section and got into regionals against a team like this. It is always an amazing experience. I’ll remember how they grew despite adversity, with five injuries — three of them season ending.”
Marinescu commented about how damaging Hirschberg’s injury was to the team. Hirschberg did all she could to come back for her team, working with the athletic training staff to stretch her ankle out and give it a go. With 22:15 left in the second half, and the Panthers trailing 3-0, Hirschberg re-entered.
She stayed in for four minutes, before exiting once more and immediately returning to the trainer’s table to put ice on her ankle. Marinuscu called Hirschberg’s injury “damaging.”
“She’s a physical presence, she’s a damaging presence, and she gives a lot of confidence to our confidence and the whole team,” Marinescu said. “When you play with someone who is rock solid from the middle and attacking standpoint, if I see them driving and I know my player is there, I’m confident that I can reserve that mental focus that I need when I get the ball to not worry if they are going to go through and get a chance.”
Chico trailed 2-0 at halftime, but it wasn’t for a lack of opportunities on the offensive side of the ball. George missed a shot just wide with 22:45 remaining in the first half, Keahi Davis missed a shot just over the goal with 13:45 remaining. With 11:50 remaining until halftime, George passed it to Juliana Carranza, who passed it to Shaleeni Thao for a shot that went just over the goal. With 2:30 until halftime several Chico forwards crashed the Homestead net, causing a collision with Homestead goalkeeper Myley Markley, but the Homestead defenders were able to clear the ball.
Homestead’s first goal came with 33:21 remaining in the first half by Jamie Nguyen following a Chico turnover in their own end, and Nguyen then assisted Saara Lahtela for her first of two goals with 7:39 remaining.
“We could have had at least 1-1 at halftime, but if it could have been 2-1, 3-1 us at halftime,” Marinescu said. “We had some great chances.”
At halftime Marinescu gave advice, but also said “Play a bit meaner, because you’re playing on your home turf.”
Homestead dominated the first 25 minutes of the second half, adding two addition goals to take a 4-0 lead. Grace McGoran scored with 20:30 remaining, and Lahtela added her second goal with a left-footed shot with 16:21 remaining.
In the final 15 minutes, despite trailing, the Panthers did not give up and played seemingly their best soccer of the match. Marinescu said from the sidelines with under five minutes to play, “Where has this been all night? Just not our night.”
“I’ve been in these kinds of games, and mental awareness, toughness and concentration plays a vital role,” Marinescu said. “At the end of the line, I think my girls are as fit as them, as skilled as them, but it’s the focus and confidence they have.”
Chico finishes its season 17-2-1, after tying for the Eastern Athletic League crown and winning the Northern Section title. The Panthers are graduating 12 seniors and have eight juniors on their roster, so bringing the group together as a cohesive unit next year will be Marinescu’s focus in the offseason.
Homestead advances to the CIF NorCal D-II Regional Semifinals, where they will face No. 1 St. Francis at 5 p.m. Thursday at American River College Soccer Stadium.
