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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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St. Francis downs boys' soccer in second half

The Palo Alto boys’ soccer team succumbed to intimidating play by the St. Francis Lancers last Monday in a 3-1 loss at home.

St. Francis came out of the gate playing equally with Paly, but with an unexpected change in momentum, they dominated the second half and won the game.

Throughout the game, St. Francis played physically, pushing Paly players and colliding with them in the air. Paly players complained, but the referees did nothing.

Paly lost junior Manuel Heriquez in the first half because of an injured leg in a collision wit a St. Francis player. Heriquez didn’t come back on the field for the rest of the game.

"They’re playing too soft," a spectator said. This was clear as St. Francis had most control over the ball in the second half, making Paly players became hesitant in going after the ball.

The Vikings couldn’t capitalize on their scoring chances, and this weakness ultimately lost the game for them.

At the 24-minute mark, senior Peter Lenke shot from the top of the box, but the St. Francis goalie deflected it wide. Luckily, Paly stopped St. Francis on a drive three minutes later, when St. Francis shot wide on an open net and missed. Later in the first half senior Manny Barragan gave senior Estevan Guerrero a headman pass, but he St. Francis goalie took the ball away. Paly’s keeper, Harrison Newkirk came out of the box to make a header save against a St. Francis drive.

St. Francis had a quick drive in the second half, but Newkirk made a diving save. In another drive four minutes into the half, St. Francis had another rush and again the goalie deflected the ball wide.

St. Francis kept the momentum, and the next minute they scored on a centering pass. A miss-pass by Paly gave St. Francis another try for a goal, but the shot went clear of the net.

Fifteen minutes after the St. Francis goal, Paly answered with a goal by Lenke. senior Jean Choi made the cross from the side, and Lenke put in the tying goal.

St. Francis quickly responded the next minute with a goal over the keeper’s hands from the perimeter. The score was 2-1 in favor of St. Francis. St. Francis took this momentum to score another goal on a one on one with Paly’s goalie with fifteen minutes to play.

Paly lost control of the game as they missed passes, shot wide of the net, and got passed around. The spirit of the players drastically decreased, and Paly only got three shots on net in the last fifteen minutes.

With an upsetting loss to St. Francis, Paly needs to step up their physical game the win their next home game against Cupertino on Wednesday the fifteenth at 3:30.

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