Sophomore goalie, Cougars top Rams for Sunrise crown

Joanna Ross was nervous when summoned to enter a tied playoff game in the closing minutes of the second overtime Monday.

The Coronado sophomore goalkeeper just didn’t show it.

Ross blocked Rancho’s first penalty kick, helping the Cougars pull off a 4-3 edge in penalty kicks, for a 3-2 win over Rancho in the Sunrise Region title game at Bettye Wilson Park.

“We know that her strength is PKs,” Coronado coach Dana Neel said. “She’s got absolutely fantastic range on the ball. A couple good reads on where it’s going, and that’s the ballgame. We owe a lot to her.”

Coronado (16-1-2) advanced to the Southern Nevada championship. The Cougars won’t know who or when they’re playing until an investigation into Shadow Ridge’s possible use of an ineligible player in the Sunset tournament is resolved.

Jahmela Muhammad scored in the 42nd and 65th minutes for Rancho (15-2-0) but was blocked by a diving Ross on the Rams’ first penalty kick.

“It was big because she was the big person in the entire game,” Ross said. “To stop her off the bat, it gives you momentum for the rest of them.”

Facing a do-or-die penalty kick, UCLA signee Zakiya Bywaters scored to pull Rancho into a 3-3 tie.

But after Bailey Hagen scored to give Coronado a 4-3 edge, Rancho’s Jenna Rae Lewis missed just over the top of the goal to end the game.

“We left everything on the field,” Rams coach Sarah France said. “We played really well in the second half, and you hate to see games end that way.

“It’s not always the best way to determine the better team, but that’s how it went.”

Morgan Romito and Grace McConnell scored goals in regulation for Coronado. Veronica Subu assisted on both.

Jessica Godwin and Cindy Hernandez scored on penalty kicks for Rancho.

“PKs are something you can practice, but it’s always different when you’re in a game situation,” France said.

“These are just one kick out of a thousand during the game, so it doesn’t say anything as far as how we played our game.”

Veronica Subu, Alyssa Madden and Melissa Subu scored on PKs for the Cougars.

“In the finals, it’s the teams that can keep their composure,” Neel said. “Our nine seniors, they kept us together, kept us calm and it came down to PKs, which is the most intense thing in soccer.”

Coronado was already without starting goalkeeper Alexis Mansoor, a sophomore who sat out after being assessed a red card during the Cougars’ 4-1 semifinal win over Silverado on Thursday.

Jessica Swords had four saves in her place before Neel called upon Ross in anticipation of PKs.

Rancho goalkeeper Rachael Wiltshire had seven saves.

France said her team was “absolutely” effected by the loss of starting midfielder Lexa Green, who was carted off early in the first half with what France said was a collarbone injury.

“She’s one of our strongest players,” France said.

The Rams will lose three seniors to graduation, including starters Bywaters and Rebecca Revo.

“We’re going to lose two enormous assets to our program,” France said. “Both are huge leaders on the field, so it’ll be a huge loss for the team next season.”