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The Vikings’ league record dropped to 2-7-2, keeping them one spot away from the cellar of the De Anza division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League. If the Vikings finish last in league, they will be relegated to the less competitive El Camino League next season, according to head coach Ernesto Cruz. With last place Homestead High School tying league leader Mountain View, 2-2, on Friday, the Vikings will have to tie or win against Mountain View next Wednesday to avoid sharing last place.
In the first half of the game, Paly maintained possession and although they kept most of the action on Los Altos’s side of the field, the Vikings did not have very many chances to score, due to a solid defensive effort by Los Altos. One of few opportunities came 13 minutes into the game when the Vikings won a corner kick, however, the header and subsequent shot both missed.
Los Altos scored its first goal 55 minutes into the game with a lob shot that hit the top of the post and bounced over the hands of senior keeper Alex Kershner.
“The first goal was a very beautiful shot and I couldn’t judge the velocity of the ball,” Kershner said.
Although the Vikings did not get many shots on goal, they did maintain possession throughout the game, keeping the ball on Los Altos’ side of the field. Los Altos adjusted strategically and pushed the counter attack when they gained possession.
After a few attempted shots from both teams, Los Altos struck again on a counter attack and pushed the ball up the side of the field, resulting in a strong cross shot that sailed out of reach of Kershner into the top opposite corner of the goal. With the second goal 72 minutes into the game, the Vikings trailed 0-2 with little time to make up the difference.
“The second goal, we got our guard down, and that lead to mistakes and the goal.” Kershner said.
In the final minutes of the game, the Vikings had a chance to score on a corner, but failed to convert. The game ended with with a score of 2-0, Los Altos, despite Palo Alto dominating possession throughout the game.
“We definitely outplayed them, but we got tired and when you get tired you slip up definitely,” junior defender Mira Ahmad said. “They finished their opportunities and we did not.”
With several seniors such as Kershner who will be playing Duke, going onto play at a Division I college level next year, it has been surprising that the team’s overall record has been so poor this season however Cruz was still content with the game.
“Today was one of the best games we played,” Cruz said. “In the game, you do your best; you play your best; you get up when you’re down, but you play until the last second of the game. That’s why I love the game.”
Looking forward to the their next game, the last of the regular season against Mountain View High School, senior midfielder Gracie Cain is confident in the Viking’s chances.
“If we come out for the Mountain View game like today — they are the number one team in the league — but if we come out like we did today, we should be OK,” Cain said.
With graduating seniors such as including defender Gracie Marshall, defender Helen Butler, Cain and Kershner, many of the Vikings played their last game held at Paly.
The Vikings play their last regular season game at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Mountain View.