St. Michael’s girls soccer opened its season under new head coach Alonso Camarena

Alonso Camarena couldn’t have asked for a better start.

In his first match as head coach of St. Michael’s girls soccer team, he came away with a 2-1 win over visiting Albuquerque Sandia Prep, with a goal each in the first and second halves, a stellar goalkeeping effort from junior Milena Keene mixed in with a splendid defensive outing, and the play of senior Rachel Morgan, probably the team’s leading returning player.

Morgan assisted on both goals, the first coming at 30 minutes into the first half as she took charge at midfield and sent a kick to freshman Elsa Ranney Smith, who ran and beat the defender to the ball and booted in a goal from left of the net past Sundevils’ keeper, junior Cree Kennedy.

At the 16th minute of the second half, Morgan came three quarters of the filed, made her way past the defender, and found sophomore Farrah Baker, who beat the defender and fired the ball past the stretched hands of Kennedy for the 2-0 lead before a joyous turnout of family and friends in the St. Michael’s stands on an overcast, but soccer-perfect afternoon.

“We played well against a very good program,” said Camarena, who takes his team to Sandia Prep Thursday for a match against Gallup Rehoboth Christian.

Camarena also singled out the defensive play of seniors Olivia Farrar and Frances Schneider and sophomore Grace Sandoval.

It was the second setback for Sandia Prep after it opened by being blanked, 4-0, against Albuquerque Hope Christian Saturday.

The Sundevils didn’t score until a corner kick from senior Charlotte Clark-Stakey in the final minute of play.

Through the years, Sandia Prep has won eight state championships, two more than Hope Christian. Under former head coach Ed Velie, the Lady Horsemen has won four titles. Sandia Prep and Hope have won the last four, with St. Michael’s last one coming in 2009.