Sunny Hills Slips Past Sonora

The Sunny Hills girls’ soccer team took the upper hand in the Freeway League title race when Lancer freshman Renee Garand scored the winning goal four minutes into overtime to give Sunny Hills a 1-0 victory Thursday at Sonora.

Sonora (12-3-5, 5-1-1) was trying to clinch the title. But defending league champion Sunny Hills (12-8-1, 6-1), whose only loss in league came to Sonora, had other ideas.

Playing a trapping defense, the Lancers held Sonora’s leading scorer, sophomore Sarah Gibson in check, double- and triple-teaming her throughout the game. Gibson, who has 17 goals this season, was shut out in league play for the first time this season.

“We dominated the game,” said Sonora Coach Hector Vasquez. “We had control of the game, but they capitalized and we didn’t. We are now in a position I don’t want to be in. We need other teams to lose. [Sunny Hills’] destiny is in their own hands.”

Despite Sonora controlling the ball for the majority of the game, Sunny Hills made some strong offensive attacks, led by senior Megan Badgonas and freshman Simi Phull, who combined for seven shots.

But it was the Lancers’ defense and missed opportunities by Sonora that put Sunny Hills in the driver’s seat. Lancer defender Michelle Deshields knocked the ball away twice in overtime with Sonora pressing and senior goalkeeper Liz Valla tipped a Gibson free kick over the goal and blocked another shot by Gibson with five minutes left in regulation to seal the victory. Valla finished with nine saves.