Girls Lacrosse: Monte Vista Repeats as NCS Champions

Lauren Goerz scored four goals and assisted on two more as the top-seeded Monte Vista Mustangs put the finishing touches on a perfect season, defeating No. 2 seed Amador Valley 6-5 in the North Coast Section Championship. 

Monte Vista (23-0) has now won 33 straight games dating back to last season, and the Mustangs are back-to-back NCS champs.

"I don't think it will hit me for another couple of days," Goerz said. "It feels really, really good.  But it's been a long road to get here."

Perfection is tough to maintain in any sport — just ask the 2007 New England Patriots.  Amador was one of the biggest threats to that perfection during the season and Friday's playoff game was no exception.

"Winning wasn't their motivation," Monte Vista coach Dearborn David Ramos said.  "It was making this season their own and challenging themselves.  Once you start getting complacent it's kind of the end of the road.  They keep pushing themselves to a new level.  It's crazy.  They deserve it."

Monte Vista came out firing and Goerz scored the first two goals for the Mustangs early.  It stayed 2-0 until Amador's Teresa Li bounced one past Mustangs goalie Sarah Tucker with 6:44 left in the first.  Li also collected assists on passes to Geneva Desin and Amelia Major, who both scored with under three minutes to go in the half.  With each team's defenses in top form, Amador maintained a slim 3-2 lead at the break.

Helen Cai scored on a pass from Major to open up the scoring in the second half, the fourth-straight goal for Amador. 

Thirty seconds later, Monte Vista started a run of its own.

At 18:21, Goerz fired a strong overhand shot that went straight down into the bottom right-hand corner of the Amador net.  Three minutes later, she added another, slinging a sidearm goal that tied the game 4-4.

Madison Mulford then gave Monte Vista back the lead off the Goerz dish with 8:29 left.

"I was excited," said Mulford.  "I was ready to go back and get some more."

After Li tied it back up, Mulford did just that.

With just four minutes to go, Mulford received the Goerz pass and placed her shot perfectly in the lower-left hand corner, sneaking it by Federighi's right foot to put Monte Vista ahead 6-5.

The Mustangs continued their attack over game's final minutes.  Amador gained possession with 1:32 to go, but hopes of a comeback were dashed after Goerz stole the ball at midfield.

"Defense was the best part of our game today," Goerz said.  "We call our defense fuego 'cause they're always on fire."

On Friday, Goerz and Li combined to either score or assist on 10 of the 11 goals.  They have been playing each other since middle school, and were on the same club team for four years.  Next year they'll be teammates again at Cal.

"I'm excited to play with her next year," Goerz said.  "I'm nervous. It's going to be a shift from high school to college, but I'm really ready."

Even though Monte Vista will graduate eight seniors this year, including Goerz, Ramos doesn't believe this is the end of an era.

"To be honest with you, I think we're going to be just as good next year,"she said.  "Monte Vista will be in it for the fight again."

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North Coast Section Championship

Monte Vista 6, Amador Valley 5

Amador Valley (17-6) 3 2 — 5
Monte Vista (23-0) 2 4 — 6

Scoring: Amador Valley — Li 2, Cai, Desin, Major.  Monte Vista — Goerz 4, Mulford 2. 

Saves: Federighi (AV) 6, Tucker (MV) 8.

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