Louisville Header Halts Chaminade’s Long Reign, 1-0
WEST HILLS — When it was time to stand and be counted, Jenny Farenbaugh of Louisville High rose above the crowd.
She had to, because that’s where teammate Carrie Schuler put a free kick with less than five minutes before halftime in a Southern Section Division IV girls’ soccer semifinal Tuesday at Chaminade.
Farenbaugh went up and headed the ball to the near post to give the Royals a 1-0 victory over the powerhouse Eagles, who defeated Louisville twice en route to the Mission League title.
It was the first time juniors Schuler and Farenbaugh had beaten Chaminade, the section champion the last four years.
“We had nothing to lose,” Farenbaugh said. “The pressure was on the four-time champs, not us. We were going to do whatever it takes to win.”
That meant surviving an early blitz by the Eagles (21-5-2), who outshot Louisville, 8-3, before Farenbaugh’s goal. Kim Morgan, one of only two Louisville seniors, was forced to make three saves in each half.
Chaminade, which outshot Louisville, 12-7, played most of the first half without prolific scorer Kim Taylor.
The senior forward, the school record-holder for goals and assists in a season and career, has been playing with a sprained neck and aggravated the injury when she was tackled along the sideline and fell out of bounds.
After Morgan made a save on Tina Lutizetti’s shot off a corner kick from Lauren Nussbaum, Louisville (18-8-2) marched up-field and drew a foul about 10 yards above the top left edge of the 18-yard box.
That’s when Schuler, who had two assists on set plays against Oak Park in a 4-1 quarterfinal victory, lined up the free kick.
“As soon as I hit it, I knew we were going to score,” Schuler said. “If I put the ball on goal, I know somebody will go up and make a goal.”
Louisville will play league rival and runner-up Harvard-Westlake in the Division IV final. It will be Louisville’s first appearance in a final.
“At least the Mission League will be represented in the section championship,” Chaminade Coach Mike Evans said. “It shows you how good the Mission League is when the third-place team goes [to the final].
“I’m very proud or our girls. It’s been a good run . . . four [championship] years.”
Chaminade fought to the end, moving the ball inside the 18-yard box four times in the final eight minutes. Taylor got off a shot from 12 yards, but it was deflected by a defender and cleared.
“Two games before the playoffs we were playing solid,” Louisville Coach Jose Perez said. “Then we really started rolling in the playoffs.
“We knew [Chaminade] would be tough, but we knew this was our time.”
