Carpinteria junior Joselyn Gamez made sure to end 2008 with a bang, recording a hat trick to lift the Warriors to a 3-1 victory over visiting Channel Islands on Thursday in their last game before January.
Gamez, who leads Carpinteria (5-3-1) with nine goals, scored twice in the first half and added another in the second half after Channel Islands cut the lead to 2-1.
“Last year their catch phrase was ‘Domination’ and they dominated this game,” said head coach Lucy Carleton of the Warriors’ final game of the year, citing a 14-4 shot advantage on the night.
Maritza Torres connected with Gamez off a corner kick to score the Warriors’ first goal in the sixth minute. For Torres, it was her eighth assist of the season.
Gamez kept attacking, notching her second a few minutes later on a pretty move where she flicked a ball to her own head and knocked it past Channel Islands’ keeper to make it 2-0.
Erin Harris, who Carleton said played “an inspired midfield,” assisted on Gamez’s third.
Carpinteria managed to win despite missing several players to holiday travel that shrunk the size of the bench to one.
Carleton pulled up Michelle Revas from the junior varsity to help give breathers to teammates throughout the chilly evening.
Carleton also praised the work of sweeper Leticia Ramirez, who kept Carpinteria on the offensive with quality free kicks and goal kicks all night long.
The Warriors have a long layoff before returning for Tri-Valley League play in 2009. Their next game isn’t until Jan. 9 – against La Reina.
