Wut? Volleyball player wins soccer game?

By Michael Ashcraft --

Apparently, she's just good a slamming a ball.

Dahlia Gonzalez, known and feared for spiking volleyballs, scored the winning goal in Monday's Lighthouse Christian Academy game against Gorman Learning Center.

Dahlia hadn't even played a competitive soccer game for four years. Monday was her season debut. The last time the LCA senior played was in middle school.

As a volleyball star, she can dig, set, dig with college-level quality. With double digit hits, she hammered LCA's undefeated league play. Who expected her to even know how to kick the ball?

But Coach Hosea Ashcraft sent her on in the second half, and she beat the offside trap to chase down and ball and slot past Gorman's star goalie (who frustrated a veritable onslaught of shots to stay in competition with Lighthouse).

Saints fans erupted with cheers, half because it was the winning goal and half out of disbelief. "Dahlia's goal was unexpected," Coach Hosea admits.

"I'm not even on the starting team in practice," Dahlia says.

The game had been knotted at 1-1. Dahlia's goal made it 2-1.

Marley Rancipher sealed the victory with a late goal to make final 3-1. After Gorman's keeper stopped some amazing high shots, Marley shot low after beating the offside trap.

For Coach Hosea, Monday's victory was all about tightening up the ailing Saints defense.

"The whole season our defense has been struggling to get it together and be able to get the ball out," Hosea says. "Finally, they were able to do it today. I'm really proud of them. They were able to completely hold them down."

LCA conceded one goal. After conceding corners throughout the game, they were finally made to pay in a lapse of marking.

Thankfully, Zion Jenkins, the son of a Santa Monica police detective, put his hot pursuit skills to good work, chasing down several breakthrough Gorman strikers. He bodied them off the ball with the prowess he gained from football.

LCA goalie Nile Hosni to not get a card when he came out and appeared more to attack the Gorman attacker than the ball, but the ref said he nicked the ball which ruled in favor of body contact.

At the time, the resulting penalty kick would have tied the score at 2-2.

Lighthouse's first goal came with a quick series of passes between Christian Boatwright and Zeke Young, but it was the Gorman defender who, trying to kick the ball out of the danger zone, accidentally kicked it into the net over the goalie's head.

The victory was suffered. Lighthouse defense struggled to stay goalside. Its midfield surrendered the attacking portion of the field settling in to a mostly defensive posture. LCA throw ins and free kicks were almost all won by Gorman.

Michael Ashcraft teaches journalism at the Lighthouse Christian Academy of Santa Monica.