Analy wraps up great season with 11-9 record
The Analy Lady Tigers put the final wraps on an outstanding winter soccer campaign in the semifinals of the North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs, falling to No. 1 seeded Miramonte, 1-0.
The No. 5 seeded Tigers opened the 13-team NCS tournament with wins over No. 13 Piner on Feb. 13 and advanced with a 1-0 squeaker over No. 5 ranked Alhambra on Feb. 16.
The magic ran out in the Feb. 20 visit to Miramonte in Orinda, as the Matadors broke a scoreless tie with a late second-half goal to pull out the victory.
“It was a great game on both sides. We each had our opportunities to finish goals, but neither could convert until about eight minutes left in the game,” Tigers coach Brittney Briones said. “Our girls played well until the end. Miramonte is a great team, and honestly it could have gone either way, we just came up a bit short.”
It was a great season by any measure for the Tigers in the first season competing in the ultra-tough North Bay League Oak Division, going toe-to-toe with many of the best teams in the section to finish league at 5-7.
“Bob (Ryan) and I are very proud of the girls and their efforts this year,” Briones reflected. “To play in such a tough league and hold our own, really prepared us for playoffs. We only lost one game all season by more than one goal. Every game was a close one and the girls never gave up.”
The playoff loss was the swan song for graduating senior veterans Tannin Klunis, Megan Lucas, Thora Butler, Isabel Housman, Zaida Jenkins, Riley Yates and Elena Hernandez, all logging distinguished multi-year varsity careers. Analy will have 14 players eligible to return to the varsity squad next season.
