Lancers ready for postseason showdown vs. Warriors
Victories during Tuesday's second round sets up all-Marmonte quarterfinal soccer matchup
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers CUT OFF- Lancer Nicole Cruz, right, tries to go around Valencia's Hannah Hicks during last weekend's playoff match.

There is only one way two rival soccer teams can play each other without a chance of a tie: by meeting in the playoffs.

Thousand Oaks will match up against Marmonte League rival Westlake today after defeating Crescenta Valley 2-0 at home on Tuesday. TOHS and Westlake had previously played each other on Jan. 27, but the contest ended in a draw.

"We can't tie them this time," Thousand Oaks head coach Geoff Raives said. "The big question is if we can we play with them mentally. Last time we played them we learned some new ways we can possibly beat them, so hopefully we can find their weaknesses again and exploit them."

Thousand Oaks goalkeeper Laura Brain said the Westlake game was in the back of the Lancers' minds all week, but nothing more than that.

"We knew it would have been exciting to play Westlake, but we had to worry about the game at hand first," Brain said. "I think we have learned to play in the present very well. Anyone can sit back and look and see who they are going to play next, but unless you go out and play well in the game in front of you, that next game is not going to happen."

JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers USING HER HEAD- Thousand Oaks' Katie Carlas wins a ball in the air during the first round of the CIF-SS Division II playoffs.

Thousand Oaks made sure they took care of business early when they played CVHS. In the seventh minute of the match, freshman Michelle Cruz put the Lancers up 1-0 when she took the ball half the length of the field to score a breakaway goal.

"I was just trying not to take too big of touches with the ball on that play," Cruz said. "Once I faked out the goalie, I had an open net and scored. It was my first goal of the playoffs, so I was pretty excited."

Not wanting to be outdone by her little sister, junior Nicole Cruz increased the Lancer lead when she knocked in a goal midway through the second half. With Brain in goal and the TOHS defense playing stellar all day, two goals would be more than enough for a win.

"I don't think we played as well today as we would have liked to, but we still won," Raives said. "Right now it's not necessarily about who plays the best soccer, it's just about surviving."

After the game Brain talked about how well the Cruz sisters played.

"We call them the 'Cruz Control,'" Brain said. "They communicate very well with each other on the field, and they both certainly helped us today."

With the younger Cruz only a freshman, Raives believes there is only room for improvement.

"I'm not surprised that she is contributing already in the playoffs, but I do think she can get better," Raives said. "It's not that she is playing bad; it's just I think she is capable of being very good. I think she would even tell you that."

Raives said he was impressed with the attitude of the team and its defense, which will be factors against the Warriors tonight.

"I was really impressed with the way the team played after a bad practice yesterday," Raives said. "I thought the defense was very good, but so was the play of the midfield. They made it easy for the defenders and rarely did the defense have to deal with oneon-one situations.

"The fact that we won 2-0 and the team still isn't satisfied says a lot. I'm very proud of what we have accomplished so far in the playoffs and hopefully we can get another win in the quarterfinals."

The match will be played at Westlake tonight at 6 p.m.