Girls Soccer:
Bonita was just seconds from its 2025-26 season being over.
Midway through the first half, Codi Kowalsky gave La Serna a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick.
Fast forward to the final minute of regulation.
The Lady Bearcats trailed the Lancers 1-0 at La Serna in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs.
Senior captain Kody McKinney drew a penalty in the box.
Abby Coppolo, who just yesterday committed to play NCAA Division 1 soccer at UC Riverside, was called on to take the PK.
Without hesitation, Coppolo forced a golden goal overtime by scoring on the penalty kick.
Early in overtime, Coppolo passed the ball to PQ Lak.
Lak’s shot went off the La Serna goalie.
And Madison Van Duyne was in the right spot and punched it to the back of the net for the 2-1 victory.
Sophomore Zoey Ochoa was solid in goal with three saves.
Up next: BHS will host MLK on Wednesday in a quarterfinal round contest.
The Wolves (17-7-6) outlasted Alta Loma in a scoreless game on penalty kicks.
Quotable:
BHS senior, Abby Coppolo: “I felt no nerves going to take the PK when I was called to take it. It is something I practice a lot to stay consistent and always know where to place the ball. All I could think to myself was “score and give us a chance or we go home” and that ultimately helped me. Even hearing the parents on the opposite team trying to mess with my head by making nose and stomping on the bleachers, I didn’t let it get to me, because I knew what needed to be done. Once that whistle blew to take the PK, I buried it in the net, and my first instinct was not to celebrate but to run and get the ball so we could keep playing.”
BHS senior, Kody McKinney: “This game was so important to me because it could have potentially been my last game with these girls. Going into the final moments of regulation, I was feeling that normal nervous feeling but I was mostly really confident. We all were on an adrenaline rush from scoring in the last 30 seconds of the game to tie it up and I knew we had the fight to get this win for each other.”
BHS freshman, Peyton Mann: “The defensive presence of our team throughout this game was very disciplined. Every single player stayed focused to keep us in the game even when we were losing. Since it was a low-scoring game, each possession was very important, and we knew we couldn’t waste a single opportunity. It was super critical for the whole team to finish strong because our season was on the line.”
BHS freshman, PQ Lak: “Games like these remind us that it’s never over until the whistle blows. Being down 0-1 over the majority of the game and then scoring with 30 seconds left of regulation to tie the game gave us the motivation to keep fighting. Receiving a great pass from Abby allowed me to get a shot off and Maddie with the golden goal finish. I can’t wait to go to round three with these amazing girls. Let’s go, Bearcats!”
BHS junior, Madison Van Duyne: “I just saw the ball off of the keeper’s hands and I knew then I was going to get that goal. It felt really good to keep us in CIF and to keep our season going.”
Box Score:
BHS: 0-1-1-(2)
LS: 1-0-0-(1)
Records: Bonita (16-5-1); La Serna (11-13-3)
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