Girls Soccer: Wolves Win in OT to Reach NCS Finals

No. 2 San Ramon Valley 1, No. 6 Heritage 0 (OT)

The Star: San Ramon Valley's Caitlin LaHonta led a stellar defense that allowed just three shots on goal, and she converted the game-winning penalty kick.

The Turning Point: Alexa Vandevanter hit a through-ball to Reilly Parker, who was brought down in the penalty box with about 2 minutes, 30 seconds left in the first overtime.

The Quote: “I couldn’t picture anything other than the ball going into the back of the net. I needed to make it for this team,” LaHonta said. LaHonta said.

Who's Next? San Ramon will face No. 1 Carondelet in the NCS Division I championship game on Saturday at Dublin High at 5 p.m.

The Bottom Line: The Wolves held off the upstart Patriots to advance to the NCS title game for the sixth straight season.

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After nearly 90 minutes of pounding away at the Heritage backline with nothing to show for it, senior Caitlin LaHonta stood at the top of the penalty box with a chance to put her team in the NCS championship game for the sixth consecutive season.

“My mind was pretty blank,” LaHonta said of the moments before she took a penalty kick in the eighth minute of overtime. “I couldn’t picture anything other than the ball going into the back of the net. I needed to make it for this team."

LaHonta completed her vision with a picture-perfect shot into the lower right-hand corner of the net to give a 1-0 overtime victory over upstart Heritage High Wednesday night. 

After a scoreless regulation and nearly eight minutes of overtime, San Ramon’s Reilly Parker was taken down in the box as she tried to convert a well-placed lead pass from sophomore midfielder Alexa Vandevanter, drawing the penalty kick.

The senior fullback LaHonta, playing in her third NCS tournament with the team, was selected to take the kick. She powered her shot passed Heritage goalie Katie Barsanti, setting off a jubilant celebration by the San Ramon players.

The victory propelled the third-seeded Wolves to the NCS Division I title game against East Bay Athletic League champion and No. 1 seed Carondelet, which beat No. 4 Monte Vista 2-1 in the other semifinal to improve to 17-2-3.

As daunting as those credentials sound, San Ramon (18-3-4) is no stranger to being the lower seed in the playoffs. In fact the Wolves have flourished in the role, winning four of the last five large-school championships, despite never being higher than a No. 3 seed during that stretch.

This year’s No. 2 seed is the highest San Ramon received since 2004, when it lost in the semifinals to No. 4 Foothill as the No.1 seed. Last season, the Wolves were denied a fifth consecutive title, when they . The upstart Heritage team cost the Wolves a shot at a rematch with the Trojans in the semifinals, when it knocked off Castro Valley 2-1 in the quarterfinals.

“You don’t want to hope for an opponent, but that would have been nice to get another shot at (Castro Valley),” LaHonta admitted.

The Patriots, who are in just their fifth season of varsity soccer, were the surprise team of the season, winning the Bay Valley Athletic League title for the first time and finishing 16-2-6 overall.

“Out of all the teams we have played in the playoffs, they wanted it the most,” LaHonta said.

Parker, Morgan Idso and Vandevanter created several opportunities in the first and second half, but a consistent and fundamentally sound Heritage defense wouldn’t break.

While San Ramon dominated ball possession throughout the game, they struggled to penetrate the Patriots defenses for quality scoring chances. Wolves’ coach Mark Jones said the Heritage was aggressive and organized.

“We didn’t feel threatened much,” Jones said. “But we didn’t put it in the net. Hats off to them, they kept us out.”

Heritage’s best chance to steal a victory came when Makaila Griggs fired a shot from 35 yards out midway through the second half, and it took a high bounce and nearly skipped over the head of San Ramon keeper Beth Ritter. Ritter corralled the ball for one of her three saves, securing her shutout.

SAN RAMON 1, HERITAGE 0 (OT)

First half scoring_None. Second half_None. Overtime_SRV, Caitlin LaHonta (penalty kick, 88^th minute).

Goalie saves_Beth Ritter (SRV) 3, Katie Barsanti (H) 12. Records_San Ramon Valley 18-3-4, Heritage 16-2-6.