Mustangs throw their weight around, 9-0

Bryce Alderton

In a 9-0 victory, Costa Mesa High girls soccer coach Dan Johnston

could afford to experiment.

With a tweaked transition game and players covering positions they

might normally not cover, the Mustangs (10-1-2, 4-0-0 in the Golden

West League) won their 10th consecutive game Tuesday against fellow

league foe Orange (1-9-4, 0-5 in league). Mesa beat the Panthers

earlier this season, 8-0.

Leading 6-0 in the 60th minute, Johnston shifted junior Stacy

Krikorian to goalkeeper, taking over for starter Kaitlyn Gentling.

Krikorian didn’t make a save but has now played every position this

season. Gentling made one save.

Johnston tried a new transition setup Tuesday in which four

attacking players each covered a specific zone on the field.

Midfielders and defenders were supposed to pass the ball quickly to a

zone.

The formation worked according to plan, Johnston said.

“Anything that makes a quick turnaround, that’s what we want,”

Johnston said. “I felt we did well with that today.”

Costa Mesa blasted 37 shots on Orange goalkeeper Sarah Chavez, who

made 11 saves.

The Mustangs, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division III,

jumped to a 2-0 lead 15 minutes into the game and led 3-0 at halftime

before scoring six second-half goals, five coming in the final 20

minutes.

Senior Sharon Day, the Pacific Coast League Co-Most Valuable

Player last season when Mesa inhabited that circuit, and sophomore

Jenny Sparks each scored three goals with one and two assists,

respectively.

Freshman Jasmin Day, Sharon’s sister, sophomore Rachel Ronquillo

and senior Toshia Bryant each scored one goal.

Jasmin’s goal made it 3-0 in the 26th minute. Sharon threw the

ball 20 yards into a crowd of black (Orange) and white (Costa Mesa)

shirts where her sister postioned herself. Jasmin headed the ball off

of a Panther defender, but it came right back to the Mesa forward and

she used the same motion to send the ball into the left side of the

goal.

Mesa forced six second-half corners compared to three in the first

40 minutes, keeping constant pressure on the Orange defense.

Junior Kara Jenkins and Nilani Duarte got some clean shots on goal

to keep Chavez busy in goal. Duarte headed two balls off corner kicks

from Sharon less than a minute apart in the second half that hit the

cross bar and flew left of the net, respectively.

Mesa hasn’t lost since dropping a 2-0 decision to Long Beach

Wilson Dec. 7 in the first round of the Ocean View Tournament.

“We’re in good shape in league with us, Ocean View and

Saddleback,” Johnston said. “I saw Estancia (Monday) and they looked

really good. They could be the wild card.”

Estancia ( 2-5-4) tied Anaheim, 1-1 Monday. Costa Mesa and the

Eagles will face each other Thursday at 5 p.m. at the Farm Sports

Complex.