Girls soccer: CdM gets fortunate bounce

Steve Virgen

MISSION VIEJO - With just five minutes remaining, Corona del Mar

High’s Lauren Shepherdson, a Sea Kings’ girls soccer player who suffered

from food poisoning Sunday, actually left host Mission Viejo sick when

she scored a goal that led to a 1-1 tie Thursday.

Shepherdson, a sophomore, sent a free kick toward Mission Viejo’s goal

and keeper Katie Wright prepared to catch it off the bounce. But, the

ball slipped through Wright’s hands, bounced through her legs and

trickled past the goal line and into the net.

The result provided satisfaction to CdM because Mission Viejo is the

No. 2-ranked team in Orange County. The Sea Kings are No. 8.

“I was aiming for the post, hoping one of our players would kick it

in,” Shepherdson said. “I just saw the goalie get it and I turned around

(away). And then I heard everyone screaming and I turned back around ...

I guess it went through.”

The Diablos (2-0-3) seemed to have the game won after scoring in the

63rd minute, a goal that appeared to have taken the life out of the Sea

Kings (7-1-1).

Less than a minute after CdM senior goalkeeper Britta Vogele slapped

away Brittany Wenck’s shot, Mission Viejo set up for a corner kick. After

the Sea Kings failed to clear the ball, Diablos senior Kendal Billingsley

sneaked in a shot, finishing a quick pass from Jen Thais.

“Our goal fits the (outcome),” CdM Coach Ron Evans said. “I don’t

think we outplayed them and I don’t think that they outplayed us. We gave

them their goal and they gave us back our goal. For us to play as we did

against a team of that caliber makes me really proud of the girls.”

The teams battled in a scoreless first half as CdM threatened to score

just once when junior Alison Brawner went one-on-one with Wright, but was

denied.

The Diablos consistently attacked throughout the match and outshot CdM

16-5. But, Vogele thrived on almost every Mission Viejo opportunity. She

finished with 10 saves.

“We know we can compete with any team,” Vogele said. “We have depth.

We’re ready to play any team, especially going into league (Sea View).

We’re ready to sweep through the league.”

After defeating Santa Margarita, 2-1 on Dec. 5, and tying Mission

Viejo, the Sea Kings are proving their No. 8 ranking isn’t a mistake.

Evans called the win over Santa Margarita the biggest victory in his

two-year tenure and perhaps in the school’s history. The victory also

gave the Sea Kings a huge boost of confidence, he said.