Normally, the best of intentions does not get the job done.
On Friday, things were not normal for the Ripon Christian girls soccer team.
The Knights scored two second-half goals — one as time expired — to beat Millennium 2-1 in consolation action of the Ripon Christian Girls Soccer Classic, and both of those goals started off as crosses.
With time running out, Ripon Christian’s Rachel Oosterman got loose on a breakaway up the right sideline and let it fly from the wing. The ball arced over the goalie to give the Knights (5-3-1) a one-goal victory and land Ripon Christian in the Gold Bracket consolation finals.
“I was hoping for either a cross or a goal,” Oosterman said. “But it went in so I guess we’ll call it a shot.”
The Knights trailed 1-0 until midway through the second half when Olivia Van Vliet blasted the ball in from the opposite wing that Oosterman did, but she too was looking for a teammate.
“Honestly, I was trying to get a cross in there,” Van Vliet said. “But it when in and that’s great.”
Earlier in the second half the Falcons (2-6-1) took a 1-0 lead when Alyssa Garza snuck one in off the crossbar past an outstretched Nicole Chapman who finished with four saves.
The Knights opened the two-day affair with a 3-0 loss to Atwater.
“The girls played well,” Knights coach Kevin Tameling said. “The girls are tired but they fought tough at the end.
“Rachel (Oosterman) has been playing all day and making runs and finally she got a goal at the end.”
Ripon Christian faces Oakmont of Roseville’s junior varsity at noon today with the winner advancing to the overall consolation championship at 3 p.m.

Sierra 10, Lathrop 0
It was all Sierra (10-1) in the post-holiday match-up.
Jenna Villanueva accounted for five of the goals while adding three assists. Jocelin Roa contributed a hat trick and two assists. Kaitlyn Berdiago and Jenna Castro scored one goal apiece, while Juliana Rodriguez and Tiana Cella each had an assist.
Keeper Michaela Bitle finished with two saves.

Junior varsity
Sierra 7, Lathrop 0
Lela Schuler led the onslaught with two goals. Presley Perez, Symone Panigada, Lanai Martinez, Larissa Phillips and Kaila Ward scored one each.
Perez also had an assist, as did goalkeeper Becca Thompson and Nathalya Yamamoto with three.