Sudden-Death Shootout Goal Gives San Pasqual 2-A Title, 2-1

On a rainy night at San Diego High School, Jonna Otto’s bolt of lightning gave San Pasqual a 2-1 victory over University and the San Diego Section 2-A girls’ soccer championship Saturday night.

Otto’s sudden-death shootout kick came after 90 minutes of regulation play, two 10-minute overtimes, two 5-minute sudden-death overtimes and an inconclusive shootout round.

After Otto blasted her shot into the upper-left corner of the goal, San Pasqual goalkeeper Blair Noonan made a kick save of a shot by halfback Joanne DeLuz to clinch the title.

Besides having to beat University (17-3-2), the Eagles had to overcome another formidable adversary--a driving rain storm that turned the field into a quagmire and the game into an ordeal.

San Pasqual (19-3-2) took the lead five minutes into the match on a goal by forward Lisa Klapka. But University struck back later in the first half on a goal by halfback Suzanne Madruga.

At that point, the rain that had been falling steadily since the start of the game turned into a deluge. The result was a scoring drought that lasted through the next 90 minutes of play.

For the shootout, San Pasqual Coach Bill Bullock pulled senior goalkeeper Missy Mackay and inserted Noonan, a freshman who had never played for the varsity squad. The wisdom of this move seemed questionable at first as the Dons put two of their first three kicks past her, and the first shootout round ended, 2-2.

However, she was up to the task in the sudden-death shootout round.