Eagles nest prey for Mesa attacks

Bryce Alderton

With passes that seemingly found the foot of a teammate with extreme

frequency, the Costa Mesa High girls soccer team showed again Tuesday

why they haven’t lost a Golden West League game since they began play

in the league a season ago.

The Mustangs spent most of Tuesday’s crosstown rivalry game at

Estancia in the attacking zone and knew what to do when they got

there, scoring six first-half goals en route to a 9-1 victory, which keeps them atop the league standings.

Sophomore forward Jasmin Day scored three times and added two

assists while junior Rachel Ronquillo added two scores as Mesa

outshot the Eagles, 24-0, in the first half and led, 6-0. Laura

Dinsdale, Sara Humphrey, Kyla Flores and Nilani Duarte also found the

back of the net for the Mustangs (8-5, 5-0 in league).

In the 64th minute, Estancia junior Rachel McMasters took a

through ball and booted the ball with her left foot just enough to

ruin Mesa’s shutout, eliciting a mild celebration on the Eagles’

sideline.

The Eagles are one of only two league teams to score on Mesa, the

defending league champion, in 17 games dating to last season.

The Mustangs have not lost in those 17 games, outscoring their

opponents, 103-3.

Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said the team has been working on getting

“good first touches” in practice and several times in the first half

shouted in appreciation for the execution.

“The passing was sweet,” Johnston said. “Their touches and passes

were going wide and that just opened our other players for

opportunities. We touched and moved very well.”

Flores scored Mesa’s first goal 13 minutes in when she took a

cross from Day, a returning first-team all-league and second-team

All-CIF Southern Section Division III performer, and knocked the ball

into the left side of the net. Ronquillo stole the ball, dribbled

about five yards and sent a roller into the right side of the net to

give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead 15 minutes later.

That kicked off the scoring surge.

Mesa scored four goals in the next eight minutes, including Day’s

second goal to make it 6-0. Typifying Mesa’s fluidity, freshman

Caitlin Duffy -- losing her balance -- crossed to Duarte, a returning

all-CIF first-team honoree last season, who made a deft touch pass to

Day and the sophomore sent it in from 10 yards out.

The Eagles had three starters with injuries, which mostly affected

the midfield, Coach Jen Hutcheon said.

“We have been the most injured team this year,” Hutcheon said.

“But we didn’t give up. We scored a goal in the second half so that

says something.”

Junior midfielder Elise Carroll provided resistance to Mesa

forwards in front of Eagles’ goalkeepers Marcie Kirchberg and Julia

Tasedan, who combined for 10 saves.

Mesa senior captain Stacy Krikorian, a first-team all-league

selection a year ago, stopped several Estancia attacks and quickened

Mesa’s transition to the forwards and midfielders, just where

Estancia (0-5 in league) was thin.

“We are starting to connect and get used to each other,” Krikorian

said. “We are talking more and are more comfortable with each other.”

Estancia’s first shot came in the 63rd minute, when junior Lauren

Donner sent a pass to freshman Taylor Brown, but the shot hit the

side of the net.

The Eagles travel to Orange Thursday while the Mustangs attempt to

finish the first round of league when they host Westminster, which

lost to Saddleback, 3-0, Tuesday.

“We are getting back to the stuff we had last year,” said

Johnston, whose 2002-03 Mustangs earned a share of the CIF Division

III championship.