Soccer: Carden Hall tops Prince of Peace, 4-0

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - At this rate, coaches of the Carden Hall fifth- and

sixth-grade girls soccer team like their chances of winning the Daily

Pilot Cup.

“Yeah, I think we can do it,” said Carden Hall assistant coach Julia

Bernay, filling in Thursday night for her father and head coach, Michael.

In their second pool-play victory, Carden Hall defeated the Prince of

Peace Patriots, 4-0, under the lights at the Farm Field to advance to the

quarterfinals Saturday at 3:45 p.m. against Newport Elementary.

In the Cup opener, Carden Hall beat Eastbluff, 11-0. So the Patriots

weren’t feeling too bad after Thursday night’s setback.

“We have 27 girls total at our school in fifth and sixth grade,”

Prince of Peace Coach Dan Stack said, “and we have 17 girls on the team

out of the 27. We’re the smallest school by far in the tournament.”

Prince of Peace goalkeepers Kayla McComb (first 25-minute half) and

Madeline Stack (second half) each had seven saves, but Carden Hall’s

constant attack was too much as Kelly Matthews sparked the offense with

three goals.

Matthews ripped home a rebound shot in the 19th minute, after a shot

by Christina O’Tousa bounced off the right post, to give Carden Hall a

1-0 edge.

In the 24th minute, Matthews scored again, after controlling a loose

ball and firing one in from 10 yards out.

In the second half, Matthews earned her hat trick with a goal at the

29-minute mark, then O’Tousa chipped one in for a 4-0 Carden Hall lead in

the 32nd minute.

Outside halfbacks Natalie Mitchell and Kimberly Condino provided solid

passing for Carden Hall, while sweeper Maggie Bernay cleared everything

in front of goalies Parisa Crane (first half) and Allisa Darwish

(second).

Sydney Sweeney ignited the Carden Hall offense with “rocket

throw-ins,” the assistant coach said.

Carden Hall, which lost to Kaiser on penalty kicks in the semifinals

last year, moved the ball well and kept it away from the Patriots, who

battled and scrapped until the final whistle.

“I thought our defense played really well, and our goalkeepers were

great,” said Julia Bernay, whose team also features Alisha Agrellas,

Colleen Heyler, Alexa Levin, Lauren Wilbur and Cait Williamson.

Providing solid depth for Prince of Peace was Julie Hubbard, Ally

Webb, Hannah Schmidt, Alex Cameron, Briana Williams, Alissa Salvati,

Natalie Plascencia, Rebecca Alward, Chelsea Pumphrey, Tiffani Choi,

Cheyenne Lopez and Whitney Searcey.