TOMALES — Moving a step closer to their North Central League II girls soccer showdown with Credo turned out to be a lot tougher than expected Wednesday afternoon for the Upper Lake Cougars as they rallied from a 2-0 halftime deficit to edge the Tomales Braves 3-2 at Tomales.
Upper Lake (7-0-1 league, 15-2-2 overall) travels to Rohnert Park next Wednesday to meet Credo in a game that will decide the NCL II championship. Credo also took an undefeated league record into a game Wednesday against Roseland Collegiate Prep. Upper Lake and Credo battled to a 2-2 tie in their first league meeting Oct. 1 at Upper Lake.
The rematch with Credo will be played on an artificial turf field, which is just fine with Upper Lake head coach Daniella Santana, who said her team’s 2-1 loss at St. Helena (also on artificial turf) on Aug. 26 was one of the Cougars’ best games of the season.
Upper Lake’s 3-2 win on a cold and windy day at Tomales won’t make that list of best games, that’s for sure.
“My plan was to give Karlee (Zimmerschied) and Maddy (Young) the first half off to let them rest injuries,” Upper Lake head coach Daniella Santana said.
Zimmerschied, the team’s top scorer who is rapidly closing in on 100 career goals, did sit out the first half, but Young was pressed into service with about 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Both players were on the field as the second half opened and they rallied the Cougars to the win.
Zimmerschied scored just four minutes into the second half with an assist from Young. It remained a 2-1 game until Young scored following a Tomales foul with nine minutes left to play. Young scored again at the 35-minute mark following a corner kick by Zimmerschied, which Young caught up with and hammered into the back of the net.
“We dodged a bullet,” Santana said of the come-from-behind victory over the Braves on a soggy Tomales field. “This shows why they (Zimmerschied and Young) get so much playing time. They definitely earned it.”
Santana also gave high marks to the play of Tristin Rhodes and Paige Pruett in the midfield.
After Credo next Wednesday, the Cougars have one league game remaining and that takes place Oct. 29 under the lights at Upper Lake as they host Roseland Collegiate Prep at 6 p.m. The North Coast Section Division 3 playoffs begin Nov. 3.
