Jazzlyne Orozco had scored 40 goals over her first two seasons of high school soccer, but as a senior, she was asked to shift from forward to midfielder and take on a different role.
Orozco’s scoring has dropped this season, but she has embraced being a leader while enjoying the team’s success.
“My past years have been successful, and looking at my senior year, I see the other girls look up to me,” Orozco said. “Even though I’m not scoring as many goals as I was, I’m still being involved in the plays.
“Practically every single goal we have, I’m getting a touch on it. It’s not like I’m doing nothing. I’m assisting or passing the ball. I’m being a playmaker with the ball or without the ball.”
Orozco got back into the scoring column Tuesday night, producing her fourth goal of the season as the host Meteors held on for a 3-2 GCAC White victory over St. Laurence in Chicago.
Gema Garibay and Mia Ortega added goals for De La Salle (9-2, 2-0), while Alexandrea Haberkamp and Jocelyn Ruiz also scored for St. Laurence (3-4-2, 1-3).
De La Salle coach Carlos Nunez praised Orozco’s willingness to do the little things for the Meteors.
“I’ve explained to her that now that she’s a senior, the filling of the stats is for other players to do,” Nunez said. “The hard work and the intangible work that she does in the midfield for us is huge.
“It’s compromised her scoring, but she understands that it’s best for our team. She’s a true leader and a complete player.”
There was an ugly moment in the game, however, as a brief fight broke out in the second half and several punches were thrown.
Two players from De La Salle and one from St. Laurence were given red cards.
“I did think the allowance of some of the physical play, given our history and the rivalry, was going to create an intense moment among young people,” Nunez said.
St. Laurence coach Jaime Alonso said the fight was unacceptable.
“That can’t ever happen,” Alonso said. “It’s unfortunate that it did happen, and now we have to acknowledge it and identify how you stop it from happening.
“It’s a rivalry. It was a physical game, but that happening took away from the game that was being played so well.”
De La Salle played well from the start. Garibay scored on a free kick from 20 yards in the fourth minute before Orozco made it 2-0.
Ortega put pressure on St. Laurence’s defense but had the ball knocked away. Orozco was there to collect the loose ball and fired in a quick shot from 25 yards.
“We were just passing it around the middle of the field,” Orozco said. “Mia ended up touching it back to me. I just got it, fired right away and caught the goalie sleeping.”
Ortega, sophomore forward/midfielder, scored her team-high 12th goal of the season off an assist from Azucena Diaz to make it 3-0 with 33:09 left in the game.
After the fight, St. Laurence played with a 10-on-nine advantage for the final 30 minutes of the game and produced a pair of late goals.
Haberkamp found the net with four minutes remaining before Ruiz cut it to 3-2 with 2:34 left to play.
De La Salle, though, was able to hang on.
“It was intense,” Diaz said. “We had to work our way through it, crack down, learn how to play without two girls on the field. We were able to finish it off.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.