On the night of Dec. 6, 2024, the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) girls soccer team faced off against Ventura High School (Ventura) in a non-league match. The game took place at Ventura College (VC) where Foothill Tech was outplayed by Ventura, ending in a score of 0-2.
At the start of the match, Ventura won the kick-off, giving them the opportunity to start their game off strong. However, Foothill Tech utilized their defense, pushing the ball back up the field with many of these attacks led by Alinah Rodriguez ‘27.
As the first half progressed, Foothill Tech quickly got swept up in the chaos of Ventura’s offense. Corner kicks and throw-ins were made quickly, leaving no time for the Dragons to recuperate. This eventually led to Ventura making their first goal off of a corner kick, putting the Dragons behind 0-1.
The Dragons kept pushing throughout the first half as Ventura made multiple fouls, Belen Buxton ‘27 issued to take the subsequent kicks and attempted to make plays into the box. However, Ventura pressured the Dragon’s strikers by finding gaps in their offense. After continued pressure, Ventura made another goal through a corner kick, putting Foothill Tech down 0-2.
All other shots that Ventura took through the first half were put to a stop by Foothill Tech’s goalie, Addi Fallon ‘25 as she showcased her athleticism and hand-eye coordination. Fallon reflected on the match, saying, “I think we played really well. We knew this was gonna be a hard team, and I’m proud of how we played.”
Rodriguez continued pressing up while she outmaneuvered Ventura’s defense and made successful passes. However, Ventura continued to run down the clock with their back-and-forth passing, utilizing the space on the field and tiring out the Dragons.
Rodriguez spoke about her play during the match, saying, “I think I did really good, I was aggressive. I think I just need to rest and come back from my injury.”
Foothill Tech used the half-time break to their advantage, working out their kinks and strategizing the rest of the game. This showed as throughout the second half the Dragons were successful in taking possession of the field despite Ventura quickly finding their footing and taking multiple shots during the half. Fallon made quick work of these shots, shooting the ball down the line toward Foothill Tech’s strikers in an effort to make a goal.
As the clock dwindled down, Maddie Wicks ’26, Buxton and Rodriguez were subbed out due to past injuries and pain during the half. Even without these key players, Foothill Tech maintained control of the ball and made several attempts to score in the last ten minutes of the game.
The game ended at 0-2 due to Ventura’s quick footwork and awareness of the field, losing Foothill Tech’s defense in the process. Coach Kevin Fitzgerald commented on the match overall saying “We had a great effort. Ventura High is a very physical team, and after a few adjustments we made at halftime, we came out in the second half and played great. We matched their intensity and held them off the score sheet, I’m very proud.”
The Foothill Tech girls soccer team will be playing against The Cate School (Cate) on Dec. 10, 2024, at Cate.
