Girls soccer: Semi-finality

Barry Faulkner

CORONA DEL MAR - The recent wave of CIF Southern Section girls

soccer playoff dominance displayed by the Mission League solidified, once

again, into an insurmountable hump Tuesday for Division IV semifinal host

Corona del Mar High.

Despite predictions by CdM Coach Ron Evans that his team would avenge

back-to-back semifinal losses to Mission League representatives,

top-seeded Harvard-Westlake, which claimed a share of the circuit’s fifth

straight section crown last year, prolonged the final four frustration

with a 3-1 victory.

“Heck yes it’s frustrating,” said Evans, who, despite the loss was

pleased with his players’ effort and intensity. “But it would be more

frustrating if we hadn’t got to the semifinals the last three years. This

program hadn’t been to the playoffs for (eight) years (before the 2000

postseason), but now we’re back in a groove. This was our third year in a

row in the semifinals. I think Harvard-Westlake lost four straight years

in the semifinals, before it won (the Division IV co-championship with

league rival Louisville) last year. We’ll be back next year to try to get

over the hump.”

It was the No. 4-seeded three-time Pacific Coast League champions

(15-5-7), who raised the curve early Tuesday.

With quick passes, strong spacing and a determined manner, the hosts

held possession in their half of the field most of the first 30 minutes.

“I definitely thought we had the better of it early,” Evans said. “We

had some great opportunities and we were well balanced.”

Harvard-Westlake’s defense, however, keyed by sophomore sweeper Julia

Shapira, kept things scoreless, until the Wolverines cashed in its only

quality scoring chance before halftime.

Junior Gina Farias-Eisner chased down a through ball on the right side

of the 18-yard box and delivered a diagonal shot inside the far post to

put the Mission League champions (23-1-1) in front for good in the 34th

minute.

Farias-Eisner was one of three players, including junior forward Tracy

Lansing and senior midfielder and Parade Magazine national player of the

year Jill Oakes, whom Evans emphasized stopping in his game plan.

Evans instructed his team at halftime to gamble more offensively in

the second half, but it was Harvard-Westlake which seized offensive

control after the break.

The Wolverines broke through again in the 63rd minute, when Lansing

took a feed from Farias-Eisner just inside the box and drove a low roller

into the near corner for a 2-0 lead.

The Sea Kings, however, showing the heart Evans said they have

displayed all season, answered back less than a minute later, when senior

sweeper Paige Janes jumped high to head in a corner kick by fellow junior

midfielder Lauren Shepherdson. The shot angled to the far post from

directly in front as Harvard-Westlake goalie Marcela Benitez broke to

deflect it with her outstretched hands. The momentum of the ball,

however, carried it onto the inside of the left goal post and it caromed

past the goal line, before Benitez could collect it with her right hand.

“That (goal) speaks about the heart and desire of our whole team,”

Evans said. “These girls have given me everything they’ve had all year.”

CdM’s rally was all but terminated when sophomore forward Jaime Artsis

drove a shot from about 28 yards into the far corner of the net in the

73rd minute to finalize the scoring.

The goal came moments after a CdM flurry in front of the Wolverine

goal, in which Jenny Long, Allison Harvey, Kristin Hanson and Elisha

Morgan all had touches on a ball that was eventually cleared.

Long, Harvey, Alivia Mazura, Tanisha Senaratne, Shepherdson and Morgan

all took additional shots for the hosts.

Senaratne’s attempt, from about 12 feet in front, may have been CdM’s

second-best chance of the day. The shot, however, which appeared headed

past the diving ‘keeper, deflected off Shapira, back into the midsection

of Benitez, who was laying on her side just in front of the goal line.

Forward Jaclyn Thayer and midfielder Alison Brawner also contributed

to the CdM attack, while fullbacks Kinzie Kramer and Vanessa Fallon, a

sophomore and freshman, respectively, helped Janes and stopper

Shephardson provide strong protection for freshman goalie Rachel Waters

(three saves).

“I warned our girls in the game plan about three players and two of

them put balls in the back of the net today,” Evans said. “They have very

good players.”

Harvard-Westlake Coach Stacy Schwartz returned the compliment to the

Sea Kings.

“We’ve had a lot more chances the rest of the season than CdM gave us

today,” Schwartz said. “They gave us the toughest battle we’ve seen. They

made us work for every goal we got.”

CdM lost to eventual Division IV champion Chaminade, 1-0, in 2000, and

fell, 2-1, to Harvard-Westlake in last year’s Division IV semifinals.