Max Soto and her Lady Lobo soccer teammates went 2-2 at the McAllen Border Blast, coming back from a slow start to beat Palm View and San Benito high schools on Saturday. (Shelby Vaughan)
by Jason Gordon
Lehman High girls head soccer coach Nauri Garcia knew his team was going to get the early-season test he wanted at the McAllen Border Blast tournament over the weekend.
First, the Lady Lobos took on McAllen Nikki Rowe High School, a perennial regional tournament qualifier at the Class 5A level, in pool play.
The Lady Lobos lost 3-1, but Garcia liked what he saw from his team.
The game was actually tied 1-1 after Lehman’s Shayla Seegar took a pass from Max Soto and scored, but Nikki Rowe was eventually able do what it needed to down the stretch to secure the victory.
“I don’t think the 3-1 final tells you how good we played,” Garcia said. “They are the third ranked team in the Valley, and we really battled them tough all game long.”
During their second game Friday, Lehman tied Los Fresnos 0-0, but lost 2-1 in a shootout following regulation play.
Lehman goal keeper Evelyn Martinez didn’t allow a goal in regulation and stopped three of the five Los Fresnos shoot-out attempts, but the Lady Lobos had trouble finding the back of the net.
Other Lehman standouts defensively were Brenda Murillo, Anjelica Romero, Stephanie Hernandez and Madison Blok.
Things got better for the Lady Lobos on Saturday, as Lehman beat Palm View High School 3-2 behind two more Seegar goals and a goal from Murillo from 25 yards out.
The Lady Lobos capped the tournament with a 2-0 win over San Benito.
Seegar scored her fourth goal of the tournament and freshman Samantha Soto added another goal for Lehman.
“It was a very exciting tournament for us, and I think it was a great way to build team chemistry,” Garcia said. “You get to find out what systems work and what players fit into what positions on the field.”
Garcia said he was also impressed with Seegar’s scoring output, which should fit nicely with Haley Parsons, who scored 15 goals last season, and Max Soto, who scored 14 goals a season ago.
“It’s great to find another scorer,” Garcia said. “We have a chance to be a team that’s pretty dangerous on the offensive end.”
Lehman now moves on to the Rebel Cup, where it will get a chance to play against Lockhart and Giddings, two district foes this season, in pool play.
“We will get to see what a couple of our district opponents have to offer this season and I think that’s a good thing,” Garcia said. “I think the Rebel Cup will be a good measuring stick to see exactly where our team is and where we need to improve.”
Lehman opens the district season with a home game against Bastrop Jan. 31.
