Lady Bulldogs soccer return to the playoffs after setting program highs in games won, goals scored

  • YHS Lady Bulldog Soccer player Makayla Olmedo kicks the ball. Photo courtesy of Raymond Rosas.
    YHS Lady Bulldog Soccer player Makayla Olmedo kicks the ball. Photo courtesy of Raymond Rosas.

    While the Lady Bulldogs may not have won the game, it was pleasing to both team and fans to be back in the playoffs after a short absence.

    Yoakum hosted the Pleasanton Lady Eagles March 26 at Bulldog Stadium for the first Lady Bulldog playoff game since the bi-district round in 2021. “It feels amazing to get the program back to the playoffs. I feel like we really worked hard together and came together as a team, and pushed through,” senior Aubrie Jendrzey said.

    “I am very proud of the team getting back to the playoffs for the first time in three years. I have put in a lot of work and research,” head coach Melissa Colman said. “My girls never skipped a beat; if I decided to try something new, they agreed and were very coachable.” This is Colman’s first year to make the playoffs as head coach in three full seasons after serving as assistant under the program’s first head coach Kristi Bludau who lead Yoakum to several playoffs berths.

    The Lady ‘Dogs had a very prolific season with a program record in goals scored (32) and victories (9). Yoakum will lose Jendrzey and Maryfer Penaloza to graduation. “Aubrie will be a tough one to replace. She had speed, aggression; she played defense, offense. I have confidence in others to step up,” Colman said. “I will deeply miss Maryfer. Sadly, due to injuries, she really did not get to play too much this year. She was here at every practice and game, helping in any way she could. She was a big supporter in doing whatever she could do to help.

    “I felt we played well in this game. We could have played a tiny bit better in certain circumstances,” Colman said. “We gave it our all and I am proud of my team for the great run we had.” The offensive opportunties for both teams were on the thin side for both teams in the opening 15 minutes but the Lady Eagles did have a shot that was deflected and another one that went high. Yoakum’s first chance came with 17:01 left in the half as Rubi Martinez attempted a shot from the left side that was saved and four minutes later, Makayla Olmedo took a long-range shot that was saved.

    Three minutes into the second half, Daphne Oviedo had a shot go high and around 33:13 took a corner kick that sent the ball bouncing around the box until Lady Eagle keeper Madeline Brymer collected it. At 28:53, Olemdo smashed a shot from 45 yards out that was saved. Around 26:27, Oviedo got open down the left side and took a pass from a teammate before sending a pass to Mileydi Gonzales that the defense got to first. Seven minutes later, Martinez had another shot on goal that was saved.

    Around 14:31, Pleasanton got the second goal with a pass from the right side to an open player close to the Yoakum goal.