Alvidrez leads Liberty girls past BHS, 2-1
| Wednesday, Jan 21 2009 02:40 AM
Last Updated Friday, Mar 27 2009 01:39 PM
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Mariah Alvidrez leads the powerful Liberty girls soccer team.
Mariah Alvidrez scored two goals, including the game-winner in second-half stoppage time, to lift the Liberty girls soccer team to a thrilling 2-1 win against Bakersfield High in Southeast Yosemite League action Tuesday night at BHS.
"That was the best thing that could have happened right then," said Alvidrez, who notched her 16th and 17th goals of the season. "We just needed to get a goal and we kept working hard and it came. It was probably the most exciting play of the game."
Liberty (11-2-3, 6-0-0 SEYL) took over sole possession of first place in the league.
Meanwhile, the Drillers (9-3-4, 5-1-0) lost for just the second time in their past 12 games.
"It was really huge," Liberty coach Lorne Howlett said. "Whoever won this game was going to know that they had the upper hand at this point in league, (and) that would pressure the other team to play good throughout the rest of the season."
The game was scoreless until the 44th minute, when Alvidrez received a cross from Olivia Gonzalez and hit a low shot into the left corner of the net past a diving Alicia Torres.
BHS answered three minutes later with a goal by Samantha Callagy. It was just the fourth goal allowed by Liberty in its past 12 games.
The score remained deadlocked until Summer Chavez found Alvidrez open in scoring range with time running out in the game.
"I saw Mariah waving her hand and I just slipped it through and she finished it," Chavez said. "I knew she would. It was nice."
BHS coach Brian Walker said he was pleased with his team's effort. "We knew coming in that it was going to be a battle tonight," Walker said. "Liberty is a very good team."
