“Getting scored on in the first couple minutes, it was like, ‘Aw dang,’” said sophomore forward Breeana Koemans, who scored a 17th-minute goal off her own steal that put the Tologs ahead for good. “To tie it up felt really good and to get the lead, I kind of felt like we had this.
“I felt like this team we were playing [hasn’t had to] come from behind, so I think us being ahead for the second half gave us more momentum.”
During the CIF sectional playoffs, which included a comeback win over defending Division II champion Saugus and saw Sacred Heart force overtime against Beckman after trailing late in the second half, the Tologs had to play tough opponents from behind on more than one occasion. When Francis Parker’s Alex Hulsey scored off a corner set for a 1-0 lead in the third minute on Friday, they would have to do so once again.
Sacred Heart (22-1-4) tied the game 10 minutes later on a ball lobbed perfectly into the goal box from junior midfielder Alyssa Conti to sophomore forward Jillian Jacobs, who had an easy shot that she blasted into the upper right corner.
Francis Parker (15-13-3) had one of its best chances of the game to retake the lead just two minutes later.
Sacred Heart senior goalkeeper Dominique Oro came out of the goal to get a hand on a corner kick from Deprise Brazel and knocked the ball down, but the rebound went to the Lancers’ Zuri Walker for a point-blank attempt.
Junior Natalie Zeenni recovered to make a spectacular save in the goal.
“I don’t want to say I’m used to doing those because I usually am the player on the line,” Zeenni said. “But I kind of always rush the ball, so it’s kind of natural for me.”
