AC: NorCal Braves Eliminate Austin ATX in Quarterfinals

By Nathan Max
WSL Executive Editor

SAN DIEGO -- Senior middie Cameron Smith and junior attackman Tim Jacobs reach registered a co-game-high four points to lead the sixth-seeded NorCal Braves to a 10-4 victory over third-seeded Austin ATX in an Adrenaline Challenge Adrenaline Elite Division quarterfinal Sunday morning.

Smith and Jacobs each scored three goals and added an assist to give the lower-seeded Northern California-based All-Star team a decisive win over previous unbeaten Austin. With the victory, the Braves (3-0-1) advanced to Sunday afternoon’s semifinals, where they will face seventh-seeded Arizona Burn Orange.

Arizona upset the second-seeded San Diego Shredderz, 5-3, in one of the morning’s other quarterfinals.

“I don’t know a lot about Arizona, but I don’t know a lot about any of the teams we’ve played,” Smith said. “We’re just going to come out and play hard, and hopefully we’ll get another win.”

Junior attackman Austin Pridham added three points on two goals and an assist, junior attackman Mackie Greason had three points on a goal and two assists and junior middie Ryan Le dished a pair of assists for NorCal. Sophomore middie Will McGhee had a goal to round out the scoring, and junior middie Colin McLarney won 10-of-15 face-offs.

In defeat, senior attackman J.J. Jackson had three assists, senior attackman Sam Jones scored twice and seniors Max Roach and Trevor Sieracki each scored a goal for ATX (3-1).

Defensively, Austin sophomore goalie Bass Barfield saved 10 shots.

NorCal outshot Austin 22-15.

In a penalty-filled game, the Braves did a better job converting their chances, going 3-of-7 with the man-up advantage compared with ATX’s 1-of-5.

NorCal got off to a fast start, scoring the game’s first five goals to take a 5-0 lead. Smith scored three of those goals, as the Braves scored on five of their first six shots. Austin fought back to close within 6-4 after Jones scored on a man-up situation moments before halftime.

But it was all Braves in the second half. Spurred on by the memory of Saturday afternoon, when they failed to hold onto a big lead and ended up drawing in their last game, NorCal reeled off four straight goals in the second half and shut ATX down.

“We just hated that game yesterday, so we decided instead of coming out with a tie we were going to come out and bust ass in the second half and come out with a good win.” Smith said.