Kelly Bickett’s Goals Give Laguna Blanca the Condor League Girls Soccer Title

BY BARRY PUNZAL, Noozhawk Sports Editor

Kelly Bickett is experienced at making big plays to help her team win big games. She made several during Laguna Blanca’s run to a CIF-SS division volleyball title and the CIF State Finals in the fall.

Now she’s doing it for the Owls’ girls soccer team.

In a match Wednesday against Dunn for the Condor League championship, Bickett converted a penalty kick in the first half and then put away the game-winning goal in the final five minutes, as Laguna Blanca prevailed, 2-1, for its second straight title.

Needing a win to tie for the title, Dunn pushed everyone forward to get the go-ahead goal. Sophia Fay of Laguna Blanca collected a ball on the Owls’ half of the field and, with lots of empty space in front of her, took off on a long run.

“Because they were pushing so much, there was most of the field to run into and she took the ball all the way to their 18 yard box,” Laguna Blanca coach Kevin Shertzer said.

Fay sent in a low cross that teammate Alex Koke tried to take in her stride but couldn't control it. The ball squirted to Bickett, who settled it before blasting a shot into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead.”

Laguna Blanca defeated Dunn by the same score in their first meeting in Los Olivos.

Dunn put tremendous pressure on the Owls’ goal early and it was rewarded with a penalty kick. The Earwigs, however, misfired on the spot kick, leaving the game scoreless.

The Earwigs created another good scoring chance in the first half, but Laguna goalkeeper Dani Abrams denied them with a huge save on a well-struck shot.

After weathering the storm, the Owls went on the attack and earned a penalty kick when Koke was taken down in the box in the 30th minute. Bickett stepped up to take the responsibility.

“She had missed a penalty in our first match-up versus Dunn, so I was happy to see that she still had the confidence to take the penalty, which she calmly tucked into the corner,” said Shertzer.

Dunn tied the score in the 67th minute off a one-time volley of a corner kick.

That set up an exciting ending, with Bickett making the big play to win another championship.


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