Girls soccer: Mustangs knock off Eagles

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Freshman Sharon Day and junior Fernanda Velazco were

enough offense for Costa Mesa High’s girls soccer team, knocking off

visiting Estancia, 2-1, in Pacific Coast League action Thursday

afternoon.

“Both teams know each other so well and with the rivalry, each team gets

very fired up,” Mustangs Coach Dan Johnston said. “We managed to keep the

pressure on and it paid off for us.”

Day’s goal was her 13th of the season for Mesa (8-3-6, 2-2-1 in league),

which turned out to ba an unlucky number for the Eagles (5-9, 0-4).

“It’s frustrating,” Eagles Coach Anton Striegl said. “We’re getting so

close to turning the corner. Compared to where we came from, however, I’m

happy with our overall improvement.”

With most of the game played in the Eagles’ zone, strong play was

provided by Estancia goalkeeper Helen Flores, who had 13 saves, including

some point-blank stops.

“She’s been awesome in every game we’ve been in,” Striegl said. “She’s an

incredible athlete and it was her play that kept us in the game.”

Day scored the game’s first goal in the 12 minute off a breakaway

opportunity by senior Julie Kroening.

After Kroening’s shot was saved by Flores, Day recovered the loose ball

and scored into the empty net.

Estancia tried to stem the onslaught with long lead passes, which

provided a couple of scoring opportunities.

Minutes after Day’s goal, Estancia freshman Kathleen Curran nearly tied

the game, but her shot sailed just wide.

“We tried the long ball on them and it worked for us a couple of times,”

Striegl said. “It just came down to a couple of mistakes here and there

that cost us.”

Estancia used a burst of offensive pressure to tie the game in the 32nd

minute.

Off freshman Ruth Chavero’s corner kick, a Mustang player missed a

header, allowing the ball to go right to senior Becca Silva, who tucked

the ball in the upper-left corner of the goal, knotting the game at 1-1.

In the second half, Mesa continued to put pressure on Flores, but the

senior stood tall, making four tough saves in a row.

“Helen is a tremendous goalie,” Johnston said of the Eagles’ keeper. “It

was hard to get one by her today.”

Finally, Mesa managed to take the lead in the 63rd minute.

Neither team could control a long kick into the Eagles’ zone before

Mesa’s Lisa Dunn corralled the ball and fed it to Velazco, who snuck the

ball past Flores.

Estancia had one final chance to tie the game on a free kick with

approximately eight minutes remaining, but the shot sailed high and wide.

“We’re getting there,” Striegl said optimistically. “We’re working hard

out there and we’ll get a couple of balls to bounce in our direction if

we keep up the intensity.”

The middle of the field was the key of the game, as Mesa seemed a half

step ahead of the Eagles throughout.

“We definitely won the game in the middle,” Johnston said of his sweeper

play. “Sharon Day and Julie Kroening really did a great job of

controlling the game and controlling the loose balls.”

Johnston likes the hard work displayed by his players, but a few more

goals wouldn’t hurt.

“All season, it’s been a year of droughts and binges,” Johnston said of

his team’s offense. “Hopefully, we’re off the drought and we’ll start

bingeing.”

The Eagles continue league play at Laguna Beach Tuesday, while the

Mustangs host University. Both games start at 3:15 p.m.