Six seniors celebrate final home game with win over St. Joseph
Story and Photos
By Christian Romo
After conceding a goal in the sixteenth minute, La Salle keeper Lauren Veneri (1) gathered her back line and sealed the goalpoasts. Shot after shot came to the senior captain, but Veneri saved all of them, leading her defense to a crucial shutdown of Saint Joseph. “We executed really well today,” said Veneri. “My defense, I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Veneri’s performance and some late offense carried the Lancers (13-4-2, 3-1 league) over the visiting Saint Joseph Jesters (2-13-3, 2-2), 3-1, Tuesday night at Kohorst Field. The two teams entered the game tied for second in the Del Rey League, and La Salle’s win may prove vital to their playoff aspirations as they finish the season with four straight road matches.
But for Veneri and the five other seniors on the team, their last home game meant more than just a league win. “It’s a little bit emotional,” Veneri said, “we knew it was going to be when we walked in, but I couldn’t have asked for a better final home game.”
Senior Clarissa Yang (5), who scored a hat trick in her previous game against Bishop Montgomery, scored the go-ahead goal in the 47th minute on a breakaway run down the middle of the field. “I kinda just saw a ball laced in the box, and I just tried to go for it. I was pretty relieved to score a goal on senior night,” she said. Though having only joined the team last year after transferring, Yang said her final match felt bittersweet. “I’m just looking forward to ending my soccer career around people I enjoy being around, with a team that works really well together,” she said.
After anchoring the midfield in their final home match, seniors Melissa Mariscal (6) and Kathleen Brady (15) shared their favorite memory: “Definitely the team dinners we had before every home game,” said Brady. Mariscal also enjoyed being with her teammates during pre-game meals. “We would have pasta and bread, it was always so fun to be with them. We never got tired of each other,” said Mariscal.
Analise Guzman (18) said she would miss playing with her teammates: “It kinda sucks to know we won’t have any home games with this team…it was really fun and I love this team.” Mariscal also felt sad, saying: “before it hadn’t really hit me, but now that it ended, it’s like, wow, this is the last time we’re ever going to play on this field…I’m never going to get to feel the energy of the crowd anymore.”
Madison Burgh (2) helped steady the Lancer back line after the early goal, keeping the Jester attack quiet in the second half. When asked about her favorite memory, she responded: “Last year when we beat Bishop Amat at home. That was pretty cool.”
Snapping a 16-game losing streak to their league rival was also Veneri’s favorite memory. “The win against Bishop Amat, I’ll take that with me forever,” she said.
La Salle coach Sheima Berenji had a special connection with this senior class, watching many of them develop since they were first-years. “They brought leadership to this team. They brought chemistry. That’s what I’m going to miss most about these girls,” she said. “I feel like it’s a sisterhood here, and those seniors bring the sisterhood to the field.”
The Lancers will finish the season playing for a high playoff seed and, if they can pull off another win against Bishop Amat, a league title. But despite their success, Veneri just wants to enjoy the moment. “I don’t want the season to wind down yet,” she said.
