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Lady Mustangs fall in soccer Section title game
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Following their heartbreaking loss, members of the Oakdale varsity girls soccer team acknowledged the fans and family members in the stands who traveled to watch them play. Oakdale fell by a 1-0 decision to Roseville in the SJS Division 3 title game. Dennis D. Cruz/The Leader

Roseville did something most teams couldn’t do this season: keep Oakdale off the scoreboard.

The Oakdale High School girls soccer team made a trip to Cosumnes River College on Saturday, March 1 for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 championship contest. In their way was Roseville, coming in as the number two seed after compiling an 8-0-4 mark and finishing second in their league. Oakdale, which finished second in the Valley Oak League, came in as the number five seed with a 9-1-2 VOL record

Under sunny skies on Saturday and with an 11 a.m. start time, Oakdale battled to a scoreless first half with the Tigers but in the ninth minute of the second half, Roseville scored the lone goal of the match.

That goal held up as the winner, as Roseville captured the D3 blue banner with the 1-0 win over Oakdale.

“This was not a failure; by no means was today a failure,” said Oakdale head coach Kico Monares. “These girls are amazing; they work hard and today they played a top caliber team. We are not at that level yet but we are a younger version of Roseville; I believe that.”

In the contest, senior goalkeeper Avery Alves had five saves for Oakdale.

Roseville improved to 14-0-4 on the season with the Section title win. Oakdale stood at 17-10-2.

To reach the finals, Oakdale hosted Christian Brothers in the semifinal round on Feb. 26. Oakdale defeated the Falcons 3-0. In the 19th minute of the first half, Lauren Ghigilia scored the first goal of the match. In the second half, freshman Ceci Cotton scored two goals within four minutes. In the 21st minute of the second half, Cotton scored on an assist from Kyleigh Melconian. She then scored the final goal of the contest in the 23rd minute.

“When I scored the first goal, I was excited but the second goal was pure adrenaline,” said Cotton. “We as a team always build each other up and I am so happy to be a part of it.”

For Alves, the semifinal contest marked her second shutout of the postseason.

“I love playing goalkeeper; I have been doing it for a long time,” said Alves.

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It was a tightly contested defensive game on Saturday morning, March 1 as Oakdale took on the Roseville Tigers in a showdown for the D3 Section title. Here, Joceyln Gradilla looks to poke the ball away from her Roseville opponent. Dennis D Cruz/The Leader
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Lady Mustang Dakota Burford works to push the ball down field against Roseville during the Saturday, March 1 Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 championship contest at Cosumnes River College. The Tigers came away with a 1-0 victory. Dennis D. Cruz/The Leader