From the sports archives: South San Francisco girls' soccer team earn key win over Hillsdale

But the fact it took a bit of luck — good or bad depending on which side for which you root — for South City to come away with the 4-3 win shows just how wacky the game can be.

And it wasn’t what you’re probably thinking. Despite a steady drizzle all game long, which varied in intensity, it wasn’t a crazy, water-deflected bounce or an unexpected skip off the turf because of wet artificial turf at Clifford Field on the South City campus.

South City’s game-winning goal was actually the result of hard work. Alex Jara, a sophomore midfielder, ran onto a through ball toward the right corner flag. She carried the ball to the end line before sending a cross in front of the Hillsdale goal. A South City forward and a Knights defender were crashing the goal on the play, shoulder to shoulder. The Hillsdale defender attempted a risky clearance, only to put in the back of her own net with 11 minutes to play.

It was the perfect example of hard work making its own luck. The Warriors dominated possession and had, by far, the most dangerous chances. South City held a 14-6 advantage in shots, nine of which were on frame.

“My player was there (in front of the goal),” said South City coach Salvador Navarro. “If she (the Hillsdale defender) doesn’t put it in, my girl was there.”

Jara had a big game for the Warriors, scoring twice, assisting on a third and creating the own-goal.

That final tally capped an exciting match that saw the teams combine for six, first-half goals. It was a key win for the Warriors, which moved into sole possession of second place in the Peninsula Athletic League’s Ocean Division. Both South City (5-2 PAL Ocean) and Hillsdale (4-3) came into the match tied for second and trying to keep pace with first-place Sequoia (5-1 going into Thursday’s game with 0-6 Half Moon Bay).

“I’m OK with [the loss],” said Hillsdale coach Rachel Lauderdale. ‘Considering how wet it is, I’m fine with [the result]. If they played this way when it’s dry, that would be something different.”

Despite having to chase and defend most of the game, Hillsdale took advantage of its opportunities. The Knights managed six shots on goal, half of which found the back of the net.

“Every time they had a chance, they scored,” Navarro said of the Knights.

Hillsdale’s first chance came in the fourth minute and the Knights converted. Freshman wing Aaliyah Schinaman received a pass on the right flank and made a long run down the sideline. Before reaching the end line, she sent a cross to the front of the goal, where the South City goalkeeper got her hands on it.

But as happened most of the day with the slippery ball for both goalkeepers, South City’s could not corral it and a rebound dribbled out in front of her — where freshman striker Kathleen Siu quickly poked it into the net for a 1-0 Hillsdale lead.

It was a short-lived advantage, however, as South City came down on the ensuing kickoff and scored about a minute later. Jara received a pass at the top of the penalty box, turned and fired home the equalizer.

South City would keep up the pressure, with Jara dominating up top, receiving passes, turning and running past defenders, taking either dangerous shots or making dangerous crosses.

And despite the Warriors’ strong possession game — they didn’t seem to be as bothered by the wet field as much as Hillsdale. “We practice a lot of one- and two-touch in practice,” Navarro said — it was Hillsdale that regained the lead in the 17th minute, scoring its second goal on as many shots.

Sophomore defensive midfielder Ekaterini Economou stepped up in the defensive half and came up with a steal and pushed forward. At midfield, she sent a long diagonal pass to the right wing, with Schinaman chasing it down on a long run. She gained possession, angled in on goal and slotted a perfectly placed shot into the far left corner of the net for a 2-1 Hillsdale advantage.

Back came the Warriors, knotting it at 2-all in 28th minute. Jara intercepted a Hillsdale clearance pass deep in its own end. She then slalomed around two defenders, carried to the end line and sent a cross back to the front of the goal, where Fernanda Ramirez was waiting and one-timed a redirected shot into the net.

Twelve minutes left in the first half was plenty of time for two more goals. Hillsdale took a 3-2 lead less than five minutes later. Schinaman, who had dropped back to left fullback to try and slow down Jara, won a ball in her defensive end and immediately sent sophomore striker Alyssa Nicole Cano on a one-on-one breakaway. She calmly and expertly beat the charging goalkeeper to the far right corner.

Another five minutes later, the game was tied for the third time in the half. The Warriors were awarded a free kick near midfield, with Ariana Garcia finding Jara with her back to the goal at the top of the Hillsdale penalty box. She turned and roofed her shot from 20 yards out to end the half with the teams tied at 3.

In the second half, Hillsdale made a formation adjustment to help the Knights better handle South City’s midfield dominance. It helped in slowing down the Warriors, who managed only four shots after taking 10 in the opening 40 minutes.

“We moved from a 4-4-2 to a 4-5-1 (dropping an extra player into the midfield) to help us mark up a little more (defensively),” Lauderdale said.

The go-ahead goal came with 11 minutes to play and the Knights put on the most consistent offensive pressure of the game trying to find the equalizer. Schinaman had a couple of good looks in the final minutes — but her first shot was saved and her second chance rolled off her foot as space opened up in the South City penalty box.

“It was intense,” Jara said. “[The game] was going back and forth, but we kept pushing for the win.”