Maria Solis of Dos Pueblos scores a goal as San Marcos goalie Hannah Ball collides into her. Ball was injured on the play and had to taken off the field on a stretcher. (Vince Agapito photo).
San Marcos suffered a double blow on Tuesday. The Royals lost standout goalkeeper Hannah Ball and dropped a 2-0 decision to crosstown rival Dos Pueblos in a Channel League girls soccer match at Valley Stadium.
Ball was injured during a scramble in front of the net and was taken off the field on a stretcher and transported to the hospital.
“There was a collision in the box and she hurt her back or neck,” said San Marcos coach Lloyd Biggs. “There was nothing malicious. Hannah got caught up in it and collided with another player.”
That player was DP’s Maria Solis, who scored the first goal. Erin Ristig sent the ball into to the box and Brandie Harris made a dummy run on it as Ball came off her line. Maria Solis ran in from behind and scored as Ball crashed in to her.
Claire Mathews put the game away for the Chargers (14-4, 3-1) in the 72nd minute on a 30-yard blast.
DP coach Jose “Pato” Guerrero was impressed with how San Marcos battled.
“San Marcos played us very tough. I’m very impressed. They put up a fight,” he said.
Biggs felt his team played well enough to win. “It could have gone either way, but they got the breaks they needed,” he said.
Biggs praised the play of Caroline Vance in the midfield and center backs Jillian Hirsch and Christine Pearson.
San Marcos falls to 0-4 in Channel League.
“We’re in every game,” Biggs said. “We just can’t quite get that final play. We’re making wrong decisions on the ball in the final third. But we’ll keep plugging away in training. We’re definitely competing against everyone.”
