Girls soccer: Mesa topples Garden Grove, 5-1

Richard Dunn

GARDEN GROVE - Slick passing, good teamwork and a few lucky breaks

propelled the Costa Mesa High girls soccer team to a 5-1 victory Thursday

over host Garden Grove in nonleague action.

“What we did today, we settled the ball and got our passing game

going,” said Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston, whose team improved to 6-2.

“We’ve got a lot of talent up front, and we want to get possession and

keep possession, so we can let our talent go to work, and they’re doing

it.

“We have good speed everywhere, and we have players who can play a lot

of different positions. I like the way we can mix and match.”

Because of starters missing and nagging injuries, such as standout

center/midfielder Sharon Day’s pulled muscle, Johnston filled holes and

shuffled players against the Argonauts (3-4).

Garden Grove scored in the opening 30 seconds, but was shut down the

rest of the way by a tenacious Costa Mesa defense, led by senior sweeper

and power-foot kicker Sarah Ronquillo.

“It was a good game for the first 25 minutes,” Garden Grove Coach

Peter Florin said. “Really, all of (the Mustangs’) goals came on mistakes

on our part. Just silly mistakes. Our defense has been solid all year for

us, but it wasn’t today. They’re a good squad, and you can’t make

mistakes against a good team, because they will capitalize, and that’s

why the result’s the way it is. They weren’t superior. We just made too

many mistakes in the back.”

After Yen Hoang scored for Garden Grove in the first minute, Costa

Mesa responded with five goals from five different players, including

three in the first half as the Mustangs constructed a 3-1 halftime lead.

“We started off asleep at the switch and gave up that goal in the

first 30 seconds,” Johnston said.

Freshman Jenny Sparks, who along with junior Cheryl Hack filled in for

Day in the center, scored for Costa Mesa in the 12th minute to tie the

game, 1-1, then Ronquillo punched in the go-ahead goal in the 28th

minute.

Sophomore Julie Nomura scored in the 37th minute on an open-net goal

as the visitors built a 3-1 edge.

“Our sweeper and stopper didn’t communicate,” said Florin, whose

defenders were in line to clear the ball, but instead allowed it to

bounce off the leg of one of the Garden Grove players and Nomura kicked

the loose ball into the goal.

In the second half, Day scored in the 52nd minute to give Costa Mesa a

4-1 edge, a roller from 10 yards out.

Freshman Rachel Ronquillo closed out the scoring for Costa Mesa when

she tallied a goal in the 76th minute on a breakaway, scoring easily

after controlling the ball.

“They’re a good team and they have a lot of club girls,” Florin said

of the Mustangs. “They were ranked fifth last year in CIF (Southern

Section) Division IV.”

The Mustangs outshot the Argonauts, 19-13, while Mesa goalie Nichelle

Janti recorded seven saves.

Costa Mesa and Garden Grove have met five years in a row, with the

Mustangs leading the series, 3-2, after winning two straight.

The Mustangs, who played without senior Natalee Schoetler, will face

Northwood in the Ocean View Tournament at 10 a.m. Saturday at Golden West

College.