Snake-bit Sailors still seeking first win

Barry Faulkner

After failing to acquire its most coveted objective -- a victory

-- Thursday against visiting El Toro High, the Newport Harbor girls

soccer team had to settle for a three-day break from practice.

“They’re frustrated,” Sailors Coach Jason Sorrell said of the

Sailors, who dominated most of the game, but came up short, 3-2,

falling to 0-4-1. “Hopefully, they’ll take a good three days, clear

their minds and come back ready to go on Monday.”

The Sailors lacked neither readiness, nor desire against the

Chargers (3-2), outshooting the visitors, 13-8, and possessing the

ball most of the game. Newport, which reached the CIF Southern

Section Division II quarterfinals en route to a 13-7-4 record last

season, rallied from an own goal to take a 2-1 lead, before El Toro

pulled even in the 36th minute.

Despite dominating in the second half more substantially than it

did in the first, Newport failed to finish its handful of solid

scoring chances. With the door left open, El Toro took advantage in

the 79th minute, when senior tri-captain Michelle Gleason converted a

throw-in from junior Sara Sadick. Gleason booted a left-footed

crossing shot from about 10 yards in front just inside the upper

right corner for the game-winner.

“That’s the story of our season, so far,” said Sorrell, who

appeared as frustrated as his players. “We’re playing OK and the

effort is there. Maybe I need to take the blame, because I’m moving

kids from the back to midfield and from midfield to up front, trying

to get us that win. It’s a little bit like robbing Peter to pay

Paul.”

Sorrell said depleting the defense down the stretch in an attempt

to place more firepower up front, proved costly.

“We know where we want people, but we’re missing in some key areas

where we need to develop more players,” he said. “But we won’t quit

working.”

Ironically, that effort cost the hosts on the opening goal as a

retreating defender’s eagerness to make a play, resulted in one

Sailor deflecting a cross from El Toro junior Haley Miller past the

Newport keeper in the 13th minute.

All-American senior Amy Burlingham answered 15 minutes later,

one-timing a Sabrina Couch throw-in across the goal just inside the

left post and past a diving goalie from about 16 yards out.

Newport, seemingly energized, kept the pressure on and earned the

lead just two minutes later. Burlingham started the scoring sequence

by crossing the ball into the middle, where sophomore forward Jenny

Taylor directed it to Amy Klippert. Klippert, a freshman forward,

poked it just inside the left post from close range 10 minutes before

halftime.

Klippert, Erin Hardy, Burlingham (three) and Taylor all blasted

shots for the Sailors in the second half, one of which hit the cross

bar.

Hardy, a sophomore defender, Trisha Orth, a senior midfielder,

senior Taryn Flamson, who split time between midfield and sweeper,

and senior Kate Younglove, helped the Sailors control the ball.

Similar fine play was turned in defensively by Sailor sophomore

Tayler DiGiocomo, while freshman Chrystal Wright made a sterling

defensive play to thwart an El Toro run midway through the second

half.

Newport senior goalie Kara DeMille made both of her saves in the

first half and smothered a ball in front to turn away a potential

threat late in the contest.