BOYS SOCCER: Hillsdale Beats Undermanned Cap

The Score: Hillsdale 3, Capuchino 1.

The Star: Hillsdale High Andreas Lau put host Capuchino behind immediately, using what he called a “high press" defense to gain possession with a tackle inside the box and punch the ball in to make it 1-0 in the fifth minute. The junior midfielder’s goal set the tone for a first half in which Capuchino struggled to maintain possession against the Peninsula Athletic League Ocean Division's second-place team on Friday afternoon.

The Turning Point: After a sequence of several threatening Hillsdale shots within a 10-minute span, the Knights finally cashed in with the least likely attempt of the bunch. Milton Pleitez fired a high-archer from at least 40 yards out on the left side, and the balloon-like shot landed beyond Capuchino goalie Christian Pascual’s reach inside the far post to give Hillsdale a 2-0 lead in the 24th minute.

The Quote: “The kids are playing OK, but they’re at their peak. … They’re football players, they’re track people. I’ve got a swimmer. And I’ve got a great actor.” – Capuchino coach Greg Pierce, commending his “undermanned” team on its effort but recognizing that the Mustangs lack the experienced soccer players that many opponents have.

What’s Next? The final week of the PAL Ocean season. Capuchino (2-6-4 PAL Ocean) wraps up its season by completing a brutal three-game stretch in which it faces all of the league’s top teams. The Mustangs host league-leading Half Moon Bay on Monday at 3 p.m. and then visit third-place San Mateo on Wednesday at 3 p.m.

The Bottom Line: Lacking the talent of its recent teams that were in the PAL Bay Division, Capuchino is struggling in the lower division. The Mustangs lost two speedy forwards to injury and are having trouble with the transition game on both sides of the ball in the midfield. Capuchino’s effort was certainly there against Hillsdale, but the Knights’ skill level was clearly superior. The Mustangs hope to land a positive result against PAL Ocean title contenders Half Moon Bay or San Mateo next week to finish their season on a high note.

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Hillsdale 3, Capuchino 1

At Capuchino

Scoring: H: Lau 5:00, H: Pleitez 24:00, H: Golden (Garcia) 61:00, C: Velasquez (PK) 68:00.

Records: Hillsdale 12-4-2, 9-2-1 PAL Ocean. Capuchino 2-10-4, 2-6-4.