Pirates fall in overtime, 3-1

Bryce Alderton

In three women’s soccer games between Cypress and Orange Coast

College this season, the winning team hasn’t won by more than a goal.

Unfortunately for Orange Coast (21-2-2 and the No. 3 seed),

Cypress won two of three meetings, and tied another, including

Tuesday’s 3-1 decision in overtime of the Southern California

Regional Finals at Cypress College. The Chargers (23-0-1) advance to

the state Final Four for an eighth consecutive year.

Coast took a 1-0 lead on a Nikki Saenz goal in the 67th minute but

the second-seeded Chargers equalized just three minutes later to

force a 30-minute overtime session.

Sadye Reish took a rebound and kicked the ball toward the goal in

overtime. The ball hit the inside of the left goal post and caromed

90 degrees to catch the right side of the net for the game-winner.

“I didn’t have great concern,” said 12-year Cypress Coach Ray Haas

when asked if he felt nervous when Orange Coast took a 1-0 lead.

“We’ve been able to come back in a number of games.”

The loss ends Coast’s season, the second year in a row the Pirates

have lost to the Chargers in the regional finals.

“We wanted to beat them because they are our perennial nemesis,”

said OCC Coach Barbara Bond. “I admire the girls because they go

after them. I felt like it would go our way, we were ready. Both

teams had opportunities today and there was good play out there. I’m

proud of the girls and I’m proud of Cypress. One team has to go to

(state playoffs) and of course I’m disappointed it’s not us. Cypress

will represent our conference well.”

Cypress won the Orange Empire Conference and has outscored its

opponents, 127-3.

Orange Coast has been the only team to score on Cypress this

season in two losses and one tie to the Chargers.

“We’re a lot better than last year when we were scared,” said

Coast sophomore forward Jaycee Mahler. “They are a really good

passing team.”

Solid Charger passing led to 22 shots on goal for the Chargers

compared to 10 for the Pirates.

Coast goalkeeper Margaret Landeros made seven saves and the

defense of Summer Chaldu, who played with a dislocated shoulder,

along with Rosie Dobbs and Alicia Santiago, kept the Chargers off the

scoreboard for as long as they could.

“Cypress had the upper hand in the first 20 minutes of the game

and (Landeros) and (Chaldu) came through for them not to score on

us,” Bond said. “At that point I thought it was anybody’s game.”

Cypress almost scored in the final three minutes before halftime,

but Santiago headed a ball back toward midfield and Chaldu

intercepted a centering pass.

Play stayed physical throughout as players went up to head balls

and often collided with one another, committing the occasional foul.

Referees called 12 fouls on Cypress compared to six for Coast.

But it was a Coast foul in overtime that iced the game for the

Chargers.

After Coast midfielder Vanessa Rocha tried to center to forward

Sarah Ronquillo, Cypress’ Leslie took control at midfield and

dribbled past a defender before a Pirate player sprinted to catch up

with Leslie but knocked her down as the Charger forward attempted a

shot.

Leslie then scored her second goal on a penalty kick from 24 yards

out in the 113th minute to seal the win.

“It’s like having money in the bank,” said Haas about Leslie’s

goal. “It puts the other team in a situation where they have to take

risks and capitalize on those risks.”

Ronquillo headed a ball to Saenz, who booted the ball with her

right foot as she was falling down to give Coast a 1-0 lead. Coast

scored one goal in all three games against Cypress this season.

“Three goals is a credit to them, their program and to the

coaching staff,” Haas said.

This season’s Coast squad is the best team Haas has seen in 12

years coaching Cypress.

“This is the most competitive team I’ve seen,” he said.

Haas and the Chargers will face Long Beach City in the first round

of the State Tournament that begins Dec. 7. Long Beach defeated

Cypress in the state finals last season.