Mustangs keep it fresh, win again

Bryce Alderton

Costa Mesa High girls soccer coach Dan Johnston wants to utilize as

many of his players in a game as he can, making freshness a priority

among this year’s squad.

On Thursday against visiting Orange, Johnston inserted 21 players

into the fold, continuing a trend that started at the beginning of

the season.

Another streak also continued for the Mustangs.

Five different players scored goals and Mesa remained undefeated

in the Golden West League this season -- and all-time -- with a 6-0

victory over the Panthers.

The Mustangs (10-2, 5-0 in league) won their 29th straight Golden

West contest -- they have claimed two straight circuit titles in

undefeated fashion -- since entering the league before the 2002-’03

season, pleasing their coach along the way.

“Our passing was terrific,” Johnston said. “The first 10 minutes

we moved the ball at will. We held the ball and kept possession for

so long.”

Junior Jasmin Day scored two goals within the first 15 minutes to

give Mesa a 2-0 lead while senior Nilani Duarte rolled a free kick in

the net’s left side in the 31st minute to help the Mustangs forge a

3-0 halftime lead. Senior Eva Garcia drew a foul after she was

tripped by Orange’s Claudia Cervantes to set the stage for Duarte’s

goal.

Mesa outshot the Panthers, 16-0, in the first half and forced six

corner kicks. The Mustangs finished with 28 total shots to Orange’s

two on a field that was relatively free of any sizable puddles after

the recent rains.

Orange (5-5-1, 0-4-1) fired two shots in the final 40 minutes, but

the Mustangs’ deft ball handling and synchronized passing continued

to shine.

The litany of Mustang shots kept Orange goalkeeper Keara Farrell

plenty busy -- she made 12 saves.

Orange created a few more scoring opportunities in the second

half, but a Mustang defender was never too far away from making a

play on the ball. Mesa goalkeeper Kindra Bailey ventured out 10 yards

from the net to halt a Panther ball handler’s momentum and reverse

possession to the Mustangs’ side in the 77th minute.

Seniors Laura Dinsdale and Yareli Ortega sent entry passes away

several times while teammates Rachel Ronquillo and Kyla Flores helped

spark attacks going the other way.

The opportunities resulted in goals as the Mustangs increased

their advantage.

Freshman Marina Lazos booted the rebound off a centering pass from

Flores, upping the advantage to 4-0 nine minutes into the second

half. Sophomore Sharon Frazier, positioned near the sideline corner,

made it 5-0 in the 69th minute with a lob that gently fell inches

inside the upper-right post. Ortega tallied the Mustangs’ sixth goal

on a 15-yard straightway boot following a corner kick from Kristen

Paulsen.

Senior Jenny Sparks was also one of several Mustangs who was

routinely around the ball, whether making a pass, booting a shot or

gaining possession. Dinsdale also slid to knock the ball away from an

Orange attacker in the second half, providing samples of the

contributions Johnston received yet again.

“It doesn’t matter who we put in, they’ve done a great job,”

Johnston said. “There hasn’t been any drop-off in the level of play.

I’m still toying with different alignments, but they are all

interchangeable pieces. Everyone is playing at least three different

positions well.”