The season is heating up for the Lady Jaguars at the halfway mark in the North Bay League soccer campaign, as the team begins a final push for what is hoped will be a coveted spot in the postseason.
Windsor played some of its best ball of the year in a pair of recent home and away dates against Rancho Cotate and Maria Carrillo, coming away with a win in the first match and renewed confidence in the second to gain an even split.
The mixed bag improved the Jag’s season record to 7-6-2 and 2-5-1 in the NBL with seven matches remaining.
Although the Jaguars controlled the tempo and scoreboard from start to finish against the Cougars, it was the outstanding play of the team in the loss to perennial power Carrillo that had the coaching staff energized for the upcoming stretch run.
“We had a very good week,” WHS coach Mark Archambault said. “The girls played with a lot of heart and passion, their intensity and focus were awesome. As their coach, it was very gratifying to see them execute the things we talked about and practiced and I was extremely proud of each of them and their performance.”
It was the Katie Bianchi show in the Oct. 4 meeting with Rancho Cotate at Wilson Ranch Park, with the Windsor standout recording a personal highlight reel with a spectacular performance.
Bianchi, who joined teammates Makenzie Hernandez and Madi Baer with first-half goals for a 3-0 lead, exploded for four more scores after intermission en route to a 7-2 Windsor victory. The Jags out-shot the Cougars 24-4 in shots on goal.
“Katie Bianchi took over in the second half,” Archambault said. “She had five goals in 42 minutes of playing time.”
Baer also turned in an outstanding match with three assists, while Hernandez added two for the Jags.
The Jaguars were locked in a physical battle of will in the Oct. 6 visit to Carrillo, yielding an early goal to the Pumas to trail 1-0 at the break. The defense dug in for a gritty second half, with the score unchanged until late in the period. With two minutes remaining, Bianchi took a pass from Maria Olivera and drove it into the net to knot the contest at 1-1. But Carrillo would answer just 30 seconds later on a header off a free kick to escape with a 2-1 victory.
The ladies will be back on the pitch in their first true home match of the season on Oct. 11 (after press time) against Ukiah, before making a Thursday, Oct. 13 visit to Santa Rosa (6 p.m.).
“The team is looking forward to finally playing our first home game,” Archambault said. “These are pivotal games for us as we start to position ourselves for postseason play.”
