The Calallen girls soccer team was forced to defend for most of the 80 minutes of Friday’s Region IV-4A semifinal against Davenport.
The talented Wolves, trying to return to the regional final, kept possession and were on the attack from the outset.
But Calallen junior goalkeeper Caytlyn Villalobos and the Wildcats backline never wilted and made Davenport work for everything all night long, turning away nearly every opportunity.
A special 39th-minute free kick from Rylee Reisdorph from nearly 30 yards broke the stalemate just before half and Reisdorph added another spectacular nearly indefensible move and kick in the second half to deliver a 2-0 result for Davenport.
“We’ve played quality teams all season and that is something that helps us get to this moment,” Calallen coach Sarah Pipkin-Love said after Calallen fourth straight regional tournament appearance. “That is how we are able to keep up and hang with top quality teams. I think it is imperative we keep building our own districts as we go, because I think that helps us.
“The unity this team played with stood out to me. Everybody backed each other up and that shows what this team is about.”
Calallen produced precious few counter opportunities to test Davenport, but never let the match get away from them, falling in the regional semifinal for the second straight season.
Freshman defender Kynslee Carroll said the team knew it had to bring the intensity and focus against a good team and credited Villalobos in net for her outing.
“She is so good,” Carroll said. “It is good to have that trust in her, because I know once she gets past me that there is a good chance Caytlyn is going to get it. We all know she is going to stop it no matter what.”
Villalobos, who was credited with nine saves, underscored that a lot of time, effort and work goes into qualifying for the regional tournament four consecutive seasons led by a large, talented senior class.
“No one looks into what we go through to get to this level and we got here,” Villalobos said. “To do this for four years, no one should count us out — ever.
“My eighth grade year was when my sister and that team went to state. Coming in the last three years the standard was still there and it is going to be there no matter what. Even though we are losing people the standard will never change no matter who we have on the team.”
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Boerne, a state semifinalist a season ago, scored twice in the opening 10 minutes on Friday at Cabaniss Soccer Field before going on to a 3-0 win against a young London team.
The Pirates who were back at the regional tournament for the second season in a row, feature seven freshmen and one senior and struggled to deal with the physicality and skill of the Greyhounds.
“Boerne was very good and we haven’t seen too many teams like that, maybe Alamo Heights at the beginning of the season,” London coach Eddie Dillon said. “We need more experience playing teams that play that way.
“We are going to work on our strength in the offseason. They surprised me a little, but I had a feeling and knew this was a special group and we had the potential to get to regionals. Kicking down the door once we are here is the next step.”
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