Girls soccer: Mesa blanked, 4-0

Steve Virgen

POMONA - Sophomore Sharon Day, the Costa Mesa High girls soccer

team’s leading scorer, stood stone-faced and listened.

Her coach, Dan Johnston, delivered parting words, telling his players

to forget a 4-0 CIF Southern Section Division IV first-round playoff loss

to Diamond Ranch Friday at Ganesha High.

Johnston told his Mustangs (14-5-6) to remember a great season that

produced the most wins in the school’s history.

For Day, and other teammates, the loss was too difficult to forget.

“ ... because this loss is the worst loss ever,” Day said of the

reason she is already anticipating next season. “It’s just stupid to lose

like this.”

Diamond Ranch (15-6-2), in just its second varsity season, scored

three goals in the first half and junior Allison Bowman finished with a

hat trick, after a spectacular shot in the 66th minute.

“After that first goal, we played panicky,” said Johnston, who noted

the Mustangs have not allowed three goals in a half this season. Mesa,

which came in with 10 shutouts, had, in fact, allowed three goals only

once in 24 games (a 3-2 overtime loss to Lakewood) before Friday.

“We did not play our defense. I was very disappointed.”

The Panthers, undefeated champions of the Miramonte League, drew the

advantage in the fourth minute on their first shot, as Bowman scored on a

breakaway. Diamond Ranch scored on its first three shots.

Mesa outshot the Panthers, 8-4, but could not find the net. Day (23

goals and 16 assists) fired five shots in the first 40 minutes that

sailed wide or drifted too high.

“We lost our composure,” Johnston said. “We played with inspiration,

but we didn’t play smart.”

Though the Mustangs’ defense played uncharacteristically, seniors

Katie Roche and Fernanda Velasco stuffed the Panthers to prevent a bigger

lead. Also, goalkeeper Chelsea Soria finished with six saves.

Roche, who started at sweeper, cleared out six Diamond Ranch

opportunities before halftime. In the second half, she moved to forward

and guided Mesa on several attacks.

“We picked our heads up in the second half,” Roche said. “Four goals

is a lot to go down by, but I think we played with our hearts. I don’t

know, we just seemed a little bit tired.”

There were no yellow cards, but the game was physical, and the

Panthers delivered most of the pain.

Velasco suffered a mild concussion after Bowman crashed into her back.

Roche, Devin Denman and Sandra Sparks retaliated in the second half,

dishing out some hurt.

The Mustangs earned two corner kicks and three shots in the final 10

minutes.