Cindy Alvarez started on defense for a second straight game.

And for the second straight game the Ripon High freshman scored the go-ahead goal.

Midway through the second half, Alvarez was moved to the more familiar attacking line where she has played for much of the season. She rewarded her coach’s decision by netting the winning goal in the 75th minute with help from Jordyn Wall’s well-timed through ball. The late goal lifted the top-seeded Indians to a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Colfax and propels them to their first Sac-Joaquin Section Division V final-round appearance since winning two straight in 2009-10.

No. 2 Amador (18-4-1) edged Mother Lode League rival Summerville 2-1 in the other semifinal. Ripon and Amador will play for the D-V banner Saturday at Lincoln High of Stockton starting at noon.

In last Thursday’s first-round match with Linden, Alvarez helped shore up the defensive third with two starting fullbacks serving red card suspensions. She scored the first of Ripon’s two goals off a corner kick, but her strong play on defense presented head coach Jamie DeBruyn and assistant Bryce Perkins with a dilemma.

“We were debating over what forwards we were going to go with up front and figured that putting Cindy on the back line makes it even stronger,” DeBruyn said. “I’m a firm believer in defense winning games and we wanted to come out as strong as we could defensively to set the tone early.

“But we also know that we can move her up front in the middle of a game and she doesn’t skip a beat. She just flips a switch and she’s got that offensive mind set. Having a utility player as versatile as her in priceless.”

Ripon (18-1-1) also set the tone offensively on its first shot attempt of the contest. In just the second minute, freshman midfielder Megan Johnson took a pass from Haley Simmons and penetrated Colfax’s penalty box to give the Indians an early lead.

“To put that one in on our first shot on goal was nice,” DeBruyn said. “It kind of put the girls at ease a little more.”

Maya Vossoghi punched in the equalizer for the Falcons (12-7) in the 37th minute. It was the first goal given up by Ripon’s Courtney Slamon this season, but she came up with some big saves in the first half when Colfax controlled possession with a strong wind to its back.

“She was able to use that tall frame to make some nice deflections over the goal,” DeBruyn said. “This was probably the biggest challenge she’s had all year in the goal.”

He also said Colfax is one of the best teams Ripon has faced all season.

“We didn’t know much about them, but they play in that Pioneer Valley League and I know it’s a good league,” DeBriun said. “We knew they were going to be battle-tested and we knew they were going to be the toughest opponent we’ve seen since we played Manteca (a Division III finalist). They played well and have three or four really good players, but I think overall as a team we were just a little bit more talented in certain positions.”