By Fred J. Robledo
Outside midfielder Lauren Stupin has heard it so much from Los Altos High School girls soccer coach Chris Reeder that it’s finally registering. No longer can the Conquerors’ most influential player be content running up and down the flanks waiting for opportunities to fall in her lap — she needs to be the one creating opportunities for the rest of her teammates.
Stupin was more of the facilitator Reeder was looking for on Tuesday, playing a key role in three of Los Altos’ goals in a 4-2 victory over Bonita that improved the Conquerors to 9-2-4 and 2-0 in the Hacienda League while the Bearcats dipped to 7-4-2 and 0-2. (To keep reading click thread).
“On her club team she’s got people that are playmakers that allow her to be more of an opportunistic player, and she’s great at that, she’s instinctful and knows what her role is,” Reeder said of Stupin, who has a full ride to Cal State Fullerton. “But she’s a senior, she’s our leader an on this team she needs to be a great player that makes things happen for us.
“She’s starting to get it. She’s checking in the middle more and connecting with others instead of waiting for the game to come to her. When she’s aggressive and making things happen, we’re at our best.”
Bonita’s Cerina Garland scored a beautiful goal in the 18th minute to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead, scoring from 25 yards while the Conquerors’ defense was backpedaling.
But Stupin took off after receiving a long throw-in down the left side and sent a hard shot that Bearcats goalkeeper Jessi Vargas couldn’t handle, allowing Amy Shubin to sneak in and poke it home to tie the score, 1-1 in the 31st minute.
After Stupin scored to give Los Altos a 2-1 lead in the 48th minute, Bonita’s Dominique Gonzalez answered with a shot from 30 yards to tie the score 2-2 in the 52nd minute.
But that’s where Stupin took over, cutting to the middle and drawing the defense in, then slipping a pass into space for Samantha Esparza, who scored the game-winner in the 68th minute for a 3-2 lead.
“It took me a while to realize it, but (Reeder) tells me over and over to find open people,” Stupin said. “It’s something I have to keep looking to do.”
Tara Cofer, who along with Maegan Garcia seem to do all the dirty work in the middle of the field for Los Altos, gave the Conquerors breathing room with a goal in the 74th minute to ice it.
“I thought we dominated the game but we made some mental errors on defense and that hurt us,” Bonita coach Lynsee Bock said. “That’s been an issue for us.
