Simi Valley Runs Into a ‘Wall’ in 2-0 Soccer Loss

The Simi Valley High boys’ soccer team had a shot--more than a dozen, actually--at reaching the Southern Section 4-A Division semifinal round.

The Pioneers, at home Friday against Hawthorne, rifled 13 shots on goal to the Cougars’ five. None, however, counted.

Hawthorne (17-9-2), conversely, made a pair of shots count to record a 2-0 upset and hand the Pioneers (22-4-1) their first shutout since December.

Simi Valley, which trailed by two goals at halftime, kept intense pressure on Hawthorne goalkeeper Dana Lindleman throughout the second half and fired seven shots in a furious assault.

Lindleman, however, got by with a little help from his friends.

“I had the whole team backing me up all the way,” said Lindleman, who recorded his eighth shutout.

Actually, Hawthorne’s defenders stood in front of their netminder, forming a line of red-jerseyed bodies to deflect several Simi Valley offerings.

Four times in the second half, the Pioneers fired from point-blank range. Four times they drew a blank.

Eric Kinsley and Craig Hampton both headed balls sharply, but Lindleman made lunging saves. James Albin shot wide to waste another opportunity, and Matt Brill’s attempt was smothered by players piled in front of the goal.

“We beat their keeper,” Simi Valley Coach Andy Silva said. “They just put a wall up in front of the goal. It won them the game.”

Actually, first-half goals by Sergio Medrana and Dennis Stone did the job. Medrana booted his, a 30-foot shot, past diving goalkeeper Dan Madsen at the 25:30 mark.

Simi Valley midfielder Willie Ruiz and forward Brian Weaver each missed from close range before halftime. Ruiz, amid heavy traffic in front of the goal, fired wide to the left. Weaver gunned a left-footed shot that Lindleman smothered while sprawling to his left.

“They had a couple of good shots on our keeper, but he made some good saves,” said Hawthorne Coach Bud Regan, whose team advances to a semifinal match against Edison, a 1-0 winner over Chino in overtime. “When we scored the second goal, I figured it looked pretty good.”

With 1:10 remaining before halftime, Stone fielded a pass from Kenny Alexander and dribbled between two Simi Valley defenders before beating Madsen from less than 10 feet.

“Today, we were not the Simi Valley soccer team we have been all season,” Silva said. “We didn’t do what we normally do on the field.”