Call these state playoffs a redemption tour for Clovis High girls soccer.
Ten days after a stinging loss to Clovis North in the Division I Central Section title game, the Cougars – led by first-year head coach Ian Lynch – entered the Division II state tournament with their minds set on one goal.
“The mission all along was to win State,” Lynch said. “We have a little bit of a sour taste in our mouth with the way the Valley title game ended… The goal out here now is to prove people wrong.”
Clovis took a solid first step towards that goal with a 4-0 defeat of Folsom in the NorCal regional quarterfinal round, which marked the program’s first ever state playoff game.
Clovis, the No. 2 seed in the Division II bracket, faced a No. 7-seeded Folsom team that also finished Division I runner-up in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
Both squads played aggressively on offense from the opening whistle.
Folsom had a pair of corner kicks in the opening 10 minutes, both of which were turned away by the stout Clovis defense.
Folsom goalkeeper Emma Hofmann also played solid defense early, with two saves on the Cougars’ first two shots on goal.
Hofmann, however, could not keep herself from running into Clovis senior Brooklin Woolf in the penalty box, causing the referee to award Woolf a penalty kick in the 18th minute.
Woolf sent the shot to Hofmann’s right and into the net, granting Clovis a 1-0 lead.
“Scoring that goal was really important to start us off and get that energy going,” Woolf said. “An early goal is important because it starts momentum and you can keep it going throughout the game.”
Clovis kept the offense going only minutes later, with junior Samantha Tristan scoring a goal off a deflection in the 23rd minute.
“The early goals put Folsom away and allowed us to get everyone on the field involved,” Tristan said.
Clovis tacked on a third goal in the 38th minute to finish the scoring frenzy in the first half. Senior defender Jesslyn McCave finished close to the net, giving the Cougars a 3-0 halftime lead.
Clovis added one more goal in the second half, as a takeaway led to freshman Natalee Ochoa scoring in the 68th minute.
Overall, the Cougars showcased a complete display of offense and defense Tuesday, with their snub from the Division I state bracket fresh in their minds.
“We thought we would have the chance to win State in D-I, but now we are carrying the torch for the top-tier girls sides in the Central Section,” Lynch said. “So we will carry it on and win two more.”
Clovis (18-7-5) advances to the Division II NorCal regional semifinals at home Thursday, against No. 6 seed Maria Carrillo.