Women’s Soccer: Franklin, Stars stake Ultimate Cup

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - The Ultimate Soccer League may have been fun for some

players and a break from the norm for others. But, Natalie Franklin and

the Pasadena Star Gazers played in the league for other reasons. They

played for the Ultimate Cup.

Franklin, who lives in Newport Beach and plays for UC Irvine, scored

two goals, 14 points, to help the Star Gazers win the Ultimate Soccer

League’s Ultimate Cup with a 70-48 victory over the Moorpark Moon Stones

in front of 485 at Orange Coast College Friday.

Though Franklin did not celebrate emphatically she still showed a

strong desire to win. Her first goal with 2:35 remaining gave the Star

Gazers a 47-7 lead and Pasadena goalkeeper Kelly Yukihiro booted in the

field goal for a 50-7 advantage.

“I look at this league as a way to practice for the real (college)

game,” Franklin said. “You always play this game hard so that you’re

ready for the best when it comes. You always want to go in and win and

play your best.”

The Star Gazers displayed their best from the outset as they built a

30-0 lead with five seconds remaining in the first quarter (the game

features four 20-minute quarters).

Less than two minutes into the game, Dianne Garza scored from an

inbounds play. There are no throw-ins in Ultimate Soccer and Garza found

a nice angle to connect for the score. She scored again to give the Star

Gazers a 30-0 lead.

Franklin found the net again as she appeared to be in the right place

at the right time. Standing about four feet away from the net she managed

to tap her foot on a loose ball that trickled into the net for a 57-7

lead, just 20 seconds into the third quarter. This time Sarah Lombardo, a

goalie from UCLA, kicked in the field goal, giving Pasadena a 60-7

cushion.

Moorpark, which defeated Pasadena, 74-67, on July 7, put together a

bit of a comeback in the third quarter. The Moon Stones scored three

goals in less than five minutes. Molly Cahan, a midfielder from Brown

University, who lives in Encino, scored back-to-back goals, and Jen Liley

netted one, but the field goal attempts failed and Moorpark was still

down, 60-28.

The Star Gazers answered back with 2:15 remaining in the third as

Lecia Davis finished a pass from Heather Rolland and after another

successful field goal, Pasadena never looked back.