By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Versatile Ripon tames Lions
SOC--Linden-Ripon pic 1
Ripon Highs Haley Simmons tries to get separation from Linden defender Delaney Oldham in Thursdays Sac-Joaquin Section Division V opener at Stouffer Field. - photo by JONAMAR JACINTO/ The Bulletin

RIPON — Having two starting defenders out would put most teams at a disadvantage.

Not Ripon, a squad that thrives because of its depth and versatility.

Freshman Cindy Alvarez was moved from her usual forward position to shore up the back line, and senior reserve Victoria Cabello was thrust into a starting role with the Indians down two defenders who were serving one-game suspensions administered during their last regular-season contest.

Both came through in a big way in Thursday’s Sac-Joaquin Section Division V opener against No. 8 Linden. Alvarez broke the scoreless tie in the 52nd minute, Cabello assisted Kaydee Cruz-Simpson’s goal and they helped keep the sheet clean for goalkeeper Courtney Slamon in a 2-0 victory.

It’s the second meeting between the two sides. The first, a nonleague match on March 17, had the same outcome.

Alvarez is Ripon’s leading point scorer with 12 goals and eight assists on the season, but her main objective Thursday was to aid in clamping down on Linden’s top offensive player, Alysse Billigmeier (14 goals). Slamon, who has shared goalkeeping duties with Amanda Evans for most of the season, has yet to give up a goal. Credit also goes to defensive midfielder Gabby McDonough and sweeper Zaire Davis.

“When we played them the first time Zaire was in science camp, so we played Cindy in the middle and we shut them out,” Ripon coach Jamie DeBruyn said. “It’s nice to have the talents of Cindy to put her back in the defensive line when we need her and then still come through and score for us.”

And it was a much-needed shot in the arm for the Indians (17-1-1), who controlled the pace but couldn’t get off any clean shots in the first half. Linden (10-8-7) played conservatively on the defensive end to limit their chances.

“We’re not used to a defender sitting so far back,” Cruz-Simpson said.  “That put a little bit of pressure on us and we had to change up our strategy.”

Better opportunities came in the second half, especially after Alvarez landed the first blow. Following a corner kick from McDonough, Alvarez — the only player standing near the top of the penalty box — had a clean look from nearly 30 yards out as the ball rolled in her direction off a deflection.

“I saw that the goalie was more on the right side so I just kicked it to the left side,” Alvarez said.

Cruz-Simpson provided the insurance goal 11 minutes later. Cabello stole the ball near midfield and launched it to Cruz-Simpson, who was waiting near the top of the 18-yard line with a defender to her back. Cruz-Simpson trapped it, shook the defender with a move to her left and fired a perfectly-placed ball to the lower-left corner of the goal.

“Honestly, it was a lucky shot,” said Cruz-Simpson, who scored her team-leading 13th goal. “I knew where I was going with it but I thought I didn’t have enough power to get it through.”

She, of course, couldn’t have done it without Cabello.

“Victoria stepped up huge today. Huge,” DeBruyn said. “Last year she was one of the starting backs for us and she was put more in a bench role for us this year, but for her to come and step u p today she played huge. She won 50-50 balls, made some good passes and got some offense going for us.”

Ripon next takes on fifth-seeded Colfax (12-6) —a 3-0 winner over Christian Brothers — in the semifinals next Wednesday. The Indians are a step away from their first section-final appearance since capturing back-to-back Division V titles in 2009-10.