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Pride roll through Bulldogs to continue winning streak
Pitman girls soccer 1
Pitman High midfielder Tatiana Rios makes a free kick during the second half of the Pride’s 2-1 win against Turlock High on Thursday. She increased her season total to five goals (NAVTEJ HUNDAL/The Journal).

Entering Thursday’s match for a second place spot in the Central California Athletic League standings, the Pitman High girls soccer team defeated crosstown rival Turlock High 2-1 to extend its winning streak to three games.

The Pride improved to 6-2-1 overall and 4-1 in CCAL play, while the Bulldogs fell to 8-7 overall and 3-2 against league opponents.

Pitman lost back-to-back matches to Turlock at the end of last season, which led to them missing the postseason. Both losses left a bitter feeling to the players, and they made it known on the field.

“The girls worked really hard,” said Pitman head coach Denise Romo. “They really wanted the win, so they had the right mindset and the right energy to last 80 minutes.”

Forward Holland Delay and midfielder Tatiana Rios each scored a goal for the Pride, increasing their total of the season to four and five goals, respectively. Forward Makenli Watt scored the Bulldogs’ lone goal.

Turlock girls soccer
Turlock High midfielder Emma Price, right, moves the ball past Pitman High forward Jasmine Vernacchico, left, during the first half of Thursday’s CCAL matchup (NAVTEJ HUNDAL/The Journal).

Delay scored the goal of the evening, with her shot sent to the right side of the net to give the Pride a 1-0 lead in the 21st minute. Following a Turlock miss, Pitman midfielder Hayden Hopwood dribbled down the field and barely missed her shot at goal as it went to the left side of the goalpost in the 37th minute, which gave the Bulldogs a sense of relief going into the second half.

Throughout the second half, both teams moved the ball down the field and near the goalbox, but missed their shots at goal. In the 61st minute, Watt dribbled the ball past Pitman defender Abigail Aycock and nearly tied the match with her shot going to the right side of the goalpost.

That missed attempt proved to be consequential after Turlock committed a foul four minutes later, resulting in a free kick for Pitman. Rios kicked the ball past goalkeeper Isabella Gonzalez to extend the lead to 2-0 with 15 minutes left.

The Bulldogs nearly scored in the 78th minute when forward Sonnet Wolf’s shot was caught by diving Pride goalkeeper Belen Ochoa.

With each minute passing by, the Pride were getting closer for their third consecutive shutout. However, Turlock had other plans. Watt netted the ball through the left corner of the goal in the final minute to cut the lead in half, but time ultimately ran out.

As the Pride prepare for the final stretch of the regular season, Romo said the team will have to give it their all to avoid missing the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.

“If we really want it [badly] enough, we’re going to come in with the right mindset, right energy to push through,” she said. “We need to make sure we’re prepared.”

Pitman will travel to Enochs High (5-6-2, 2-2 CCAL) on Tuesday for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. Turlock will host Modesto High (7-7, 0-4 CCAL) on Tuesday at Joe Debely Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.