RIPON — It took Hilmar less than three minutes Tuesday to score on Ripon – but all that did was focus the Indians.
Ripon scored the next four goals with two highlight-reel efforts by Cindy Alvarez on the way to a 5-2 win in Trans-Valley League soccer action.
“It took us a few minutes to figure out what they were doing offensively,” Indians coach Jamie DeBruyn said. “We made a poor pass, lost the ball in a bad spot and they sent it to the middle where they made a nice turn on the ball for the quick goal.”
After that first goal by Juliann Machado it was all Indians (3-1 TVL, 9-5 overall) until the Yellowjackets (2-1, 5-6) got their second goal with 15 minutes left in the game to make the score 4-2. Ripon took 15 shots on goal and had 22 shots total to just seven total for Hilmar.
“We adjusted,” DeBruyn said. “The girls saw the mistake they made – they learned from it which is my expectation – and it was good to see the way they reacted.
“Then offensively we started clicking. The passing started coming, creating opportunity after opportunity. We were creating opportunities and they were not, and that is the kind of game plan I like.”
Alvarez got her first goal in the 23rd minute when she took a throw-in from Megan Harlan and blasted it toward the goal. It bounced off of a defender and high into the air over the Hilmar goalie for a 2-1 Indians lead. Early in the second half she captured the ball 35 yards out and dribbled the distance, juking past the Yellowjackets goalie for a 4-1 lead.
“That first one deflected off and I got lucky,” Alvarez said. “And on the second one I saw the goalie coming at me so I went around her.”
Alaina Cornilsen and Alayna Swilley combined on two goals for the Indians. Swilley got Ripon on the board with an assist from Cornilsen in the 18th minute and the two reversed rolls 16 minutes later with Cornilsen taking a cross from Swilley for a 3-1 halftime lead.
“I was all alone in the box and I saw her (Swilley) coming up the right side,” Cornilsen said. “She just passed it to me and I kicked it.
“It was neat that the girl who I assisted then assisted me on a goal.”
In the closing seconds Sarah Alves alertly covered a rebound and bounced it back into the net for Ripon’s final goal.
Hilmar won the frosh-soph game 3-0.

Southern League
Ripon Christian 4,
Waterford 1
WATERFORD — Jolene Vanderstoel opened scoring for Waterford (4-1, 7-3) in this battle of the SL’s remaining unbeaten teams, but the visiting Knights (4-0, 7-5) seized control the rest of the way.
Abby Buitrago highlighted the win with her 100th career goal in the second half, putting Ripon Christian up, 3-1. She earlier assisted Julia Ray’s go-ahead goal in the first half with a corner kick.
Cynthia Van Vliet and Rachel Faure each contributed a goal. Sam Carvahlo and Jessica Van Vliet had assists. Bailey Silveira recorded four saves.
“This was a tough game for our team,” Ripon Christian coach Kevin Tameling said. “The score today does not highlight how competitive the game was. Waterford is a significantly improved team and will challenge for the top of the league throughout the season.”