Fountain Valley girls' soccer continues strong start with shutout of Godinez

Fountain Valley's Zoe La Clair (3) receives a double high-five from Lacy Ruston after La Clair scored a goal in the 38th minute against Godinez on Thursday in a nonleague match at home.

By Matt SzaboStaff Writer

Dec. 19, 2019 6:52 PM PT

Zoe La Clair had not scored a goal for the Fountain Valley High girls’ soccer team before Thursday, not that it’s her role on the team.

La Clair is a junior outside fullback, but she will play up as much as possible, especially on corner kicks. This illustrates the aggressive mentality that coach Scott Goldman wants the Barons to play with this season.

La Clair scored twice off set pieces, lifting Fountain Valley past Godinez 2-0 in a nonleague match at home.

“We’ve been good in the air,” Goldman said. “We’ve got a goal-scoring mentality. They’re being a little bit more ruthless in front of the goal.”

Things are going right for Fountain Valley (5-1-1), which handed Godinez just its second loss of the season. The Barons are ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 poll and boast a motivated team with 12 seniors.

The seniors want to leave their mark for the Barons, who have not advanced to the postseason since the 2016-17 season.

Fountain Valley's Samantha Escobar (24) keeps the ball away from Godinez's Ayleen Jimenez in a nonleague match on Thursday.

“In all four years, I think this has been one of the strongest teams that we’ve had,” said senior center midfielder Samantha Escobar, one of three team captains along with senior defender Grace Volkert and senior midfielder/forward Alyssa Rubio. “We pass a lot more, we communicate a lot more. I think we just have more of a connection ... we’re stepping up to the plate.”

Fountain Valley did not have numerous scoring chances in the first half against Godinez (7-2), but it took advantage of an opportunity in the 38th minute. Senior forward Micaela Villafuerte made a touch pass in the box to La Clair, whose shot was deflected wide by Godinez defender Fernanda Perez.

Rubio’s ensuing corner kick from the left was played out to Volkert, whose shot toward the goal was deflected. The ball went to La Clair, who stuck it in.

“She’s deceiving,” Goldman said. “A small player, and [she] doesn’t have to even leave her feet. She reads the game, reads the ball really well. We want to get her as forward as possible.”

La Clair also scored on a header in the 43rd minute, this time directly off a corner kick from the right by Escobar. First-half goalkeeper Bianca Fernandez and second-half goalkeeper Jasmine Solorzano combined for five saves and the Barons’ fourth shutout of the season.

Fountain Valley goalkeeper Bianca Fernandez blocks a Godinez shot in a nonleague match on Thursday.

Goldman said he liked the defense his team played on Godinez junior forward Jennifer Molina, adding that Fountain Valley will see big and physical players like that when it gets into the Sunset Conference. Once in the first half, Molina got behind her defender, but Fountain Valley senior defender Abigail Edwards came over to snuff out the scoring chance.

Villafuerte, the sister of former Fountain Valley baseball standout Conrad Villafuerte, has emerged up top for the Barons to provide a strong goal-scoring threat that Goldman said the team didn’t necessarily have last season.

“It’s senior year,” Villafuerte said. “Last year I didn’t play that much, so I’m looking at it like this year I want to show my skill and work with my team. My goal this season is to go to CIF, because we haven’t since my freshman year. I think we have the skill this year with a big senior class, and we can accomplish that. I’m going to bust my butt up there, and if our team does that as well, I think we can accomplish that goal.”

Fountain Valley resumes play in the Best in the West Winter Classic on Saturday, when the Barons host La Mirada in an “ABCD” Division match at 9:30 a.m. La Mirada is ranked No. 8 in Division 2, and this is the teams’ first meeting since the Matadors beat the Barons 4-3 in penalty kicks in the first round of the 2016-17 Division 2 playoffs.