Last Thursday, the Poly girls’ soccer team came within ten minutes of knocking off the Wilson Bruins—they know that if the rematch (Tuesday, January 27^th, mark your calendars) is going to be the game it deserves to be, they need to win out through their Moore League schedule.  “We have to maintain that hunger,” says Poly coach Teri Collins.  They did that yesterday afternoon against a Millikan Rams squad that has been plagued by injuries this season, taking care of business in a 4-0 win on their home field.

The scoring started in the thirteenth minute when Tina Madan took a through pass and drilled it into the left side of the net.  Poly spent almost three-fourths of the first half on Millikan’s end of the field, and had several more close chances, but the excellent play of Millikan tender Taylor Frixione kept the game close, despite the possession difference.

Poly kept attacking in the second, continuing to press the exhausted Rams defense (while giving their own keeper an afternoon off).  The play of Frixione continued to wall the ‘Rabbits until a textbook penalty kick taken by captain Allison Whalen found the right corner of the net in the 67^th minute.  That seemed to open the floodgates as the Rams defense crumbled under the consistent pressure of Poly’s attackers—the ‘Rabbits scored five minutes later off a truly impressive curved free kick from striker Kasia Johnson, who netted from about halfway to midfield, and again five minutes after that when Elliot Gentile dropped a corner in to sophomore standout Alexis Leyba, who was in perfect position to head it in, giving Poly the final 4-0 margin.

The win drops Millikan to 1-3 in league, as Poly improves to 3-1—it’s the “1” that they’re looking forward to addressing, but there are still three games between the ‘Rabbits and the rematch.  Three games and counting—they next take on Compton on the road on Thursday.  Millikan will visit the Bruins next week.