The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial.
Thursday night’s girls’ soccer game against Wilson left the Poly Jackrabbits jumping for joy when the final whistle blew. After a nail biter of a first half that ended 0-0, the Jackrabbits tucked four goals away in the second, two of which belonged to midfielder Makayla Quesada, giving them a 4-1 victory over the Bruins.
“We’re really excited, this game was really important for us,” Quesada said. “Our standings in league depended on this game and we delivered.”
Quesada, a senior on the Jackrabbits’ squad, is a bit of an unsung hero in the midfield, playing a vital role in ball distribution, setting the tempo of the game, and creating opportunities for teammates. However, she got two chances of her own during the match, and capitalized on them, with a pair of beautiful shots from far out that rocketed into the back of the net.
“I always keep in mind that I need to score because I know what I can do. So I’m glad I was able to deliver for my team today,” she said.
Quesada’s first goal came at a crucial point in the game in the 64th minute. Nine minutes earlier, teammate Katana Van Deusen had put away Poly’s first, putting them up 1-0, but Wilson equalized soon after, bringing the game to a 1-1 tie reminiscent of the first Bruins and Jackrabbits matchup of the year. But Quesada soon smashed a shot from 45 yards out, aiding the Jackrabbits’ momentum.
“It got us the lead back, so I think that one was more important,” Quesada noted.
With a 3-5-2 formation, Poly takes advantage of their talented midfield lineup, which on Thursday featured Quesada alongside Washington State commit Aaya McLyn and freshman Lily Montecinos. Quesada noted that Poly’s chemistry and connection had significantly improved in this match compared to the previous time they played Wilson this season, as well as during last week’s match against the Millikan Rams.
“I think our movement off the ball was a lot better today,” she said. “We’ve been struggling a little bit to connect with each other, and I think we finally got our group playing one on ones, give and goes off of each other, and talking is a lot better today.”
Poly will look to continue this style of gameplay on the road for a rematch at Millikan next week, hoping to capture their first Moore League title in nine seasons. Quesada is ecstatic to lead the Jackrabbits and play for a championship that would mean everything to her and her fellow seniors.
“I think this win really pumped us up a lot. That game is also a must win, so I think spirits are up,” she said.
Quesada is committed to play soccer at Chico State next year.
