SCCAL girls soccer: Emmy Koflanovich's two goals keep Scotts Valley in thick of SCCAL race

By Jacob May - jmay@santacruzsentinel.com

Posted: 01/15/2013 10:45:44 PM PST

SOQUEL -- It didn't take long for Scotts Valley High to get past most of its growing pains. After graduating several of its starters from last year's No. 1-seeded team in the Central Coast Section Division III playoffs, the Falcons' girls soccer program this year consists of three returning players and eight freshmen among a bevy of underclassmen.

But the Falcons' youth hasn't been much of a disadvantage so far. And certainly not on Tuesday night, when no one exemplified their corps of up-and-comers better than Emmy Koflanovich. The freshman forward scored Scotts Valley's two goals -- her first of the season -- to put away host Soquel 2-1 in a Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League match.

Normally a distributor of the ball, Koflanovich started the scoring in the 33rd minute as the Knights' defense and goalkeeper converged on her from about 10 yards out as Koflanovich's slow roller found a gap and trickled its way back into the net.

While she attributed that goal to being in the right place at the right time, she shocked everyone with her game-winner.

A few minutes after Soquel tied the match in the 65th minute thanks to Christina Foster's header on a cross from Holly Tousseau, Koflanovich found herself guarded about 20 yards out from the right goal post. With her back to the goal, Koflanovich turned sharply and rocketed the ball into the left corner.

Soquel never had a chance on the ball. It came too quickly on a hard angle. "It was a magnificent goal," Soquel coach Mike Fong said. "A magnificent goal. It had to be there to beat us."

Said Koflanovich: "It was one of my nicer ones." Even when Koflanovich wasn't finding the back of the net, she was seemingly involved in every attack into Soquel territory. It's a reason why Scotts Valley coach Art Munoz has dubbed her the "Emminator." "I gave that nickname to her because she's small in stature but big in heart and willing to take girls on," Munoz said of his fleet-footed, 5-foot-1 forward. "I've asked her to be more offensive and take the shots, and she took it upon herself tonight."

Koflanovich's confidence is indicative of how the rest of the young Falcons (4-5-3, 2-1-1) have grown over the course of the season. After facing a tough nonleague schedule, Munoz has noticed their increased level of play. "They were a little apprehensive at first and now I think they're getting their feet under them," he said. "This is hopefully a confidence-builder for us. With that many young girls, this is the first time in Scotts Valley that we've really had to depend on that many underclassmen being the bulk of the team."

"We have a very young squad," Munoz added. "The future is bright."

As for Soquel (6-2-1, 2-1-1), Fong was pleased with the Knights' ability to maintain their intensity throughout the match. "It showed up today," he said. "We even increased it from the first half and that was a pretty intense first half."

Scotts Valley visits Aptos on Thursday at 7:00 p.m., while Soquel visits San Lorenzo Valley at the 3:30 p.m..

Scotts Valley 2, Soquel 1

Scotts Valley 1 1 -- 2

Soquel 0 1 -- 1

Scoring -- 1, Scotts Valley, Emmy Koflanovich, 33rd.

2, Christina Foster (Holly Tousseau), 65th.

3, Koflanovich, 68th

Goalkeepers -- Scotts Valley: Emily Johnson (80:00), 4 saves

Soquel: Xiomara Delgado (40:00), 2 saves;

Sydney Rastatter (40:00), 2 saves.

Records -- Scotts Valley 4-5-3, 2-1-1;

Soquel 6-2-1, 2-1-1.