Girls soccer: CdM, Uni in a standstill

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - A third straight Pacific Coast League title will

definitely not come easy for the Corona del Mar High girls soccer team.

The proof of that came after a 1-1 result with visiting University

Tuesday.

The Sea Kings (9-3-4, 2-0-1 in the PCL) allowed their first goal of

the season in a game that featured playoff-type atmosphere in just the

third league matchup of the season.

“The PCL is one of the top two leagues in all of Division IV,” CdM

Coach Ron Evans said. “It’s an incredibly strong league and I don’t think

it’s given enough credit. There are five teams that come and get you any

day. I’m glad we have that. We have to make the playoffs, which is not

guaranteed in this league, by no means.”

The Trojans (6-6-1, 1-1-1) nearly pulled off a supposed upset over

CdM, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division IV. But thanks to the

defense of junior sweeper Paige Janes, junior Lauren Shepherdson and

freshman goalkeeper Rachel Waters, along with the frequent offensive

attacks created by senior Allison Harvey, the Sea Kings stuffed any hopes

of the Trojans extending their 1-0 lead.

Uni earned that edge in the 12th minute when junior Alec Mills slid to

kick a loose ball into CdM’s net. The Sea Kings answered with two scoring

opportunities they could not capitalize on. However, with less than two

minutes left in the first half, Harvey helped produce the final score.

She crossed a pass over to junior Alivia Mazura, who scored on a

breakaway.

Mazura’s kick had so much juice on it that it went to the back of the

net despite Uni goalkeeper’s putting a hand on it.

Harvey and Mazura sat the first 10 minutes of the second half so that

they could rest and survey the game, Evans said. The strategy seemed to

work as CdM earned four solid scoring opportunities after the duo’s

entrance.

Less than a minute after entering, Harvey struck for a shot that was

saved and in the 60th minute, Mazura saw her shot sail inches over Uni’s

net. A minute later, Shepherdson nailed a free kick from near midfield

directly in front of senior Jaclyn Thayer, but Trojans goalkeeper Kate

Cumsky slapped it away.

Later, with less than four minutes left, after a nice throw-in from

Janes, Harvey set up Mazura for a goal, but her shot again looped inches

above the net.

Finally, after junior Lauren Loe cleared a Uni offensive threat,

Mazura and Harvey led the counterattack which led to a corner kick.

Shepherdson booted the corner kick in front of the Trojans’ net and

Harvey headed the ball to the chest of a Uni player, who quickly kicked

it away, and seconds later time ran out.

“Lauren Shepherdson, I can’t say enough about her,” Evans said. “I

made the adjustment at halftime, and took her out of the offensive game

plan and put her on (Mills) to shut her down, and she did that. Alec

Mills is a great player.”

The Sea Kings quest for a third straight PCL title continues Thursday

at 3:15 p.m. when Newport-Mesa District rival Costa Mesa visits CdM.

“Am I nervous? Yes,” Evans said of the matchup with the Mustangs,

ranked No. 10 in CIF Division IV. “It’s going to be a game and a half.”