Girls soccer: An easy Day for Mesa

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Too easy.

With Sharon Day’s speed and a suffocating defense, the Costa Mesa High

girls soccer team grabbed its second win of the season, a 6-0 nonleague

victory in simple fashion over visiting Santa Ana Valley Thursday.”It was

easy,” said Day, a sophomore who scored a hat trick for the second time

this season in as many games. She scored three goals in a 5-0 win over

Garden Grove Tuesday. “We played to their level at the beginning. But we

still did well.”

Like the Mustangs’ victory, Day’s goals came easily. She scored in the

15th minute on a breakaway to increase Mesa’s lead to 2-0. She then left

the game as Coach Dan Johnston substituted other players and kept Day out

for more than 15 minutes.

When she returned, she struck again less than three minutes after

reentering on another breakaway as she beat everyone to a ball kicked by

Katie Roche in the 35th minute.

Day again used her turbo speed in the second half as she finished

senior Fernanda Velasco’s cross (41st minute) and the Mustangs went up

4-0. Day then sat out the rest of the game.

“It’s getting better,” Velasco said of Mesa’s play. “We’re talking a

lot more on the field. It’s a much better team than last year.”

The Mustangs’ communication led to near-perfect passing on offense and

precise positioning on defense. Mesa (2-0) allowed just two shots on

goal, one in each half. The Falcons (0-2) never threatened throughout.

And Mesa outshot them, 19-2.

“For the most part, we outplayed them,” Johnston said. “We did what we

had to do in a game like this. We have a tough game on Tuesday against

Aliso.”

Mesa began its scoring binge 10 minutes into the game when Lisa Dunn

scored after Day’s shot attempt deflected off a Falcons player. The

deflection caught the Santa Ana Valley goalie out of position and Dunn

quickly took advantage.

After Day left the game for good in the second half, Robyn Weber

scored, finishing a picture-perfect cross from Faride Lopez in the 49th

minute.

One minute later, Mesa junior Natalie Masciale headed in another

pretty set-up cross from Dunn to round out the scoring.

With its second shutout and 11 goals scored, the Mustangs have gained

much confidence early.

“We have a real good chance of winning (Pacific Coast) league this

year,” Day said. “If everyone keeps communicating, we’re going to be able

to do it.”

Johnston said the team’s speed and communication will be needed this

season, especially next week. The Mustangs host Aliso Niguel Tuesday and

will then play at Laguna Hills the next day.