Lady Apaches fall to top-ranked Uvalde

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The Gonzales Lady Apaches entered Friday night’s bidistrict playoff knowing that it would take a near-perfect effort to defeat the Uvalde Loboes to advance to the area round. While the effort wasn’t perfect, Coach Karen Bunch was pleased nonetheless, despite a 2-1 loss that ended their season.

“It was the best game we played all year,” said Bunch. “I was proud of them.” It was a lights-out effort defensively for Gonzales, who held the top-ranked team in Class 4A to less than half of their per-game scoring average.

Uvalde was led all season by their senior captain Abigail Kone. Bunch knew that the Lady Apaches would need to control her if they were to have a chance. Luckily, Gonzales had two players who answered the challenge.

“Yaritza Angel and Bella Aguero [were the players guarding] their number 10 [Kone],” said Bunch. “It was mainly Yaritza and that was her one job on the field. She did not leave that girl [the whole match].” Angel and Aguero, both freshmen, held the Loboes star player without a goal and only one assist in the game.

Gonzales jumped out to the early lead on a goal by their leading scorer – Nancy Nino. The Loboes got an equalizer when Fiona White took a pass from Kone and was able to sneak the shot past Carlee Ramos, the Lady Apaches’ netminder.

The score went to halftime knotted at 1-1 and remained so much of the second half. Uvalde would get the game-winner on a shot from Andrea Perez and would shut the Lady Apaches out in the second half to advance and end Gonzales’ season.

The Lady Apaches end the year with an overall record of 6-8-5. Seniors Brittney Villegas, Marisol Hernandez, Emma Hernandez, Paola Perez, Kassidy Leal, Briana Duenez, Trinity Barr, Jazmin Izaguirre and Priscilla Cardenas played their final match for the orange and white, but leave the program stronger than it was just four short seasons ago.

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