No team has been hotter in the second half of Valley Oak League play than Oakdale High’s varsity girls soccer team.The Lady Mustangs have won six straight games by a combined 33-5 advantage, including a dominant 4-0 rout of Central Valley on April 29 and an 8-3 drubbing of Weston Ranch two days prior.Early season losses and ties may have put the VOL title too far out of reach, but Oakdale (10-1-3 VOL, 17-3-4 overall) is in prime position to carry its momentum into the Division IV Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.“We have dominated and controlled basically every league game, but we shot ourselves in the foot by tying games we should have won early in the year,” Oakdale coach Alfredo Quiroga said. “If we don’t win league, we might be the best team that has not ever won a title.”Megan Mossman scored three goals in the win over Weston Ranch and saw two scores apiece from Bryanna Welch and Jenna Micheletti. Jill Kahler scored and assisted on two goals while Jessica Gomez, Nikki Almanza, Jordan Laugero, Kristen Brunk and Emily Wallace each added assists.The Central Valley win came on two goals from both Kahler and Lexi Seese. Laugero and Katie Odom dished out assists in the win while netminder Morgan Kinyon stopped a pair of shots on goal to preserve the shutout.“The girls are very motivated, they are scoring goals and securing our game plan,” Quiroga said. “We still need to win the rest of our games but we are in good shape to make the playoffs.”Oakdale played Manteca (12-2-2) in a key VOL showdown on Tuesday, though results were not available at press time. The team closes the regular season with visiting Sonora on Thursday.Quiroga noted that Seese, a senior, has combined consistent play in the heart of the Oakdale defense with a surprisingly spectacular season from freshman, Odom.At the other end of the field, Kahler has shined in her freshman season with six scores. Goalkeeper, Kinyon, has also caught Quiroga’s eye with sharp saves in recent play.“Those four players have come up big for us,” Quiroga said. “They have been very consistent.”Oakdale will likely end up with a No. 2 or 3 seed from the VOL into the D-IV postseason, which kicks off on May 18. A second seed would set up an away showdown with the Pioneer Valley League runner-up (Whitney or Colfax), while the third seed would leave Oakdale to face likely CVC champion, West Campus.
Lady Mustangs In Midst Of Stellar Second Half
