Holt Academy’s Alanna Gonzales was too much for top-seeded Ripon Christian on Thursday, scoring three goals – two in the closing minutes of each half — to lead the No. 4 Bobcats of Stockton to a 3-1 semifinal win in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division VI girls soccer playoffs at Ripon Christian High School.
“She is our senior,” Holt Academy coach Aaron VanNortwick said of Gonzales. “She did a great job for us tonight.
“I think we were able to possess the ball a little bit better than they did which let us control the game a little bit better.”
After Gonzales got her first goal on a header to put the Bobcats (13-4-3) ahead 1-0 in the 13th minute, the Knights (17-5-2) responded midway through the first half.
Ripon Christian’s Elle Van Wyngarden took a long through ball from Janine Prins and drew out the Holt Academy goalie. Van Wyngarden timed her shot perfectly, finding the empty net to tie the score 1-1. That was as close as the Knights would get.
“We knew they were a good team coming in,” Ripon Christian coach Kevin Tameling said. “Going into this game I figured whoever won it would be the favorite to win the section.
“They played a great game and they got on the end of some balls and scored and we were not able to do that.”
The Bobcats face either No. 2 Buckingham or No. 6 Golden Sierra on Saturday at Liberty Ranch in Galt for the championship at 2 p.m.