Zoe Sutton became the latest Sierra freshman to come up with a clutch goal against Manteca.
She scored in stoppage time Friday, forcing a 2-2 draw in the Valley Oak League opener held at Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium.
“We have a little legacy here at Sierra,” Sutton said. “I dreamt about this moment all week.”
In the last two years, Leslie Reyes and Hailey Cruz each scored a timely goal as freshmen to help give the Timberwolves a positive result against their rival.
On Friday, they did well to steal a point from a match mostly dominated by the visiting Buffaloes (0-0-1, 15-0-2 overall), who were ultimately done in by missed scoring opportunities and disputable referee decisions.
Sutton’s tying goal was set up by soft foul called against Manteca forward Alexia Alva at midfield. The ball was deflected inside the penalty box on the ensuing free kick and found its way to an unmarked Sutton, who controlled it with one touch and tagged it past goalie Haylie Brasil (four saves) with an accurate right-footed strike. She was so certain of her goal that she raised an arm triumphantly before it even touched the net. It turned out to be the last play of the game.
“I knew it was going in,” Sutton said. “I was in the right position, and I’ve been in that spot so many times. The coaches always tell me it’s not about power, it’s about placement. I just looked up and knew where I wanted to shoot it.”
All four goals were recorded in the second half, and both of Sierra’s were equalizers. Lindsey Rose evened it 1-1 for the Timberwolves (0-0-1, 10-3-4) with a penalty kick in the 69th minute. The shot from the spot was awarded after Cruz collided with Manteca defender Tatiana Orozco, who appeared to fairly win the ball inside the box before contact.
Manteca got the friendly whistle on the other end in the 80th minute when Alva was tangled up near the spot after attempting to beat a defender on the turn. Joanna Roa converted the penalty kick to put Manteca back ahead, at least for the moment.
While irked the outcome, Buffaloes coach Justin Coenenberg acknowledged that his team put itself in that position.
“It’s on us,” he said. “We’re not blaming the referees. We had multiple opportunities, especially in the first half to put about five on them. We didn’t, and those are normally goals that we score.
“The girls are upset,” Coenenberg added. “We have all the confidence in the world that we’ll respond in a positive way.”
Manteca outshot the T’wolves 16-3 in a lopsided first half and 25-9 in total, but with little to show for it. Sienna Jones, Alva and Roa took turns threatening the Sierra goal but had shots sail wide, hit the uprights or deflected by keeper Zoe Sandoval (seven saves).
Kailee Jackson finally broke the ice for Manteca in the 61st minute after Jones’ left-footed cross was batted down by Sandoval, but all that did was give the Buffaloes’ freshman winger the easiest shot of the game.
“We definitely got away with one,” Sierra coach Manuel Pires said. “They created more opportunities, but my goalkeeper did a great job — Zoe kept us in the game. At the end of the day, nobody asks who had the most opportunities, they want to know what was the score at the end of the game.”
Junior varsity
Sierra 7, Manteca 0
Kaylee Rodriguez racked up two goals and three assists in the landslide victory.
Ivy Sutton, Shayla Cline and Kylee Pimentel each had a goal and an assist. Mikaela Delgado and Peyton Duarte scored one apiece.
