Sailors still in the hunt

The Newport Harbor High field hockey team maintained its hold on

second place in the Sunset League with a 2-1 win over Santa Ana

Tuesday at Harper Community Center in Costa Mesa with one league game

left to play Thursday, can still win the league.

Victory over Marina on Thursday, coupled with a potential Edison

loss to Bonita, would propel the Sailors to the crown.

Edison’s loss to Fountain Valley last week made winning the league

for Newport more of a possibility than a week ago, when Newport and

Edison tied 0-0.

“It gave the girls a little more hope,” said Newport Coach Sharon

Wolfe, who said her team wore down Santa Ana in the second half. “We

had some explosions on the front line that we haven’t done a lot of

this year.”

All three goals came in the second half, with Newport, 15-0-4,

9-0-4 in league, staking a 2-0 lead before Santa Ana, 7-2-4 in

league, pared it to a one-goal decision.

Kaley Nix scored with 20 minutes remaining on a three-player

breakaway with front line help coming from Allison Rawlins and Meagan

McHone and Rawlins scored the game-winning goal with 2:46 remaining

off a penalty corner before Santa Ana scored with two minutes

remaining.

Newport outshot Santa Ana, 20-9, and Sailor goalkeeper Amanda

Wittman made 11 saves.

“Amanda got challenged but she made some awesome saves,” Wolfe

said.

Kristen Jendrusina, Kirsten Chamberlain had solid games at forward

and Jill Whitfield and Kerrie Gates played strong at midfield and got

support from defenders Danielle Pfaff and Ashley Gleason.