Piedmont High School’s girls soccer team opened the North Coast Section Division 4 playoffs with a 5-1 win over visiting College Prep on Feb. 19 at Witter Field. The top-seeded Highlanders advanced to the second round where they will host No. 8 Pinole Valley on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
Kyla Williams got Piedmont on the board with a goal in the 25th minute, taking advantage of a Cougar turnover to put the ball in from the left side.
“Because the goalie usually passes it to the wide, I just kind of held there and waited,” Williams said. “It was a good chance.”
Piedmont controlled most of the game but College Prep took advantage of its first real scoring threat in the 30th minute. Daniella Starr made a long run down the right side of the field and made a nice pass to the middle to Lila Mathus who put it into the right side of the net to tie the score.
The Highlanders immediately got the lead back in the 31st minute when Juliana Thornborrow scored from right in front of the net.
“It was a throw in and Kyla and I were right there,” Thornborrow said. “I turned and I just shot and I hoped it went in and it did.”
Late in the half, the Cougars were called for a hand ball and Eliza Hammond scored on the penalty kick in the 38th minute to make it 3-1 at halftime.
Ayla Blanford dances with the ball 
Louisa Symkowick (19) defends with teammate Ayla Blanford (7) 
Piedmont’s Kyra Trombi looks to pass 
Hannah Sullivan (16) receives a pass from Elia Kwong (9)
Louisa Symkowick scored on a 25-yard shot in the 44th minute to make it 4-1. Elia Kwong made a long pass down the right side to Ryo Woltag in the 58th minute and Woltag got behind the defense and beat the goalkeeper, who had come out on the play, for the final goal of the night.
Piedmont improved to 7-9-2 on the season. College Prep finished 7-8-1.
“We were all very excited (coming into the playoffs),” said Thornborrow, a senior. “I think we were all happy with our seeding. D4, obviously we are in a lower division, but school-size that is where we should be. It’s also great to have home games so we don’t have to travel. But just coming out here and getting wins on our home field for my last season is really special.”