Eagles can’t catch Mesa

Estancia shows improvement, but the Mustangs score four quick goals and go on to win Thursday.COSTA MESA -- The Estancia High girls’ soccer team has come a long way this season under first-year head coach Steve Crenshaw. But beating Costa Mesa on its home field was too much to ask.

Costa Mesa, ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division III, scored four goals in a 10-minute span in the first half and cruised to a 4-0 victory in a Golden West League game on Thursday.

The Eagles (5-5-2, 3-2) fell, 5-0, in their first matchup with the Mustangs this season. A healthier Estancia team edged a little closer on Thursday, but still wasn’t in the same class as Costa Mesa (11-3-2, 7-0).

“We keep closing the gap a little bit,” Estancia Coach Steve Crenshaw said. “Costa Mesa is a good team and plays with discipline, but the bottom line is, we still play them scared. Plus we’re young and make mistakes, and their girls have played together longer.”

Caitlyn Duffy led a Mustangs defense that didn’t allow the Eagles any quality scoring opportunities.

Five minutes into the game, the Mustangs went on a 10-minute scoring spree. Kyla Flores started it off with a steal near midfield. Flores fed Jasmin Day, who found Marina Lazos down the right side. Lazos placed the ball into the far left corner of the goal to give the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.

Soon after, Day took a free kick from 25 yards out and found the back of the net, just inside the crossbar.

Then Sharon Frazier rambled past the Estancia defense down the left side and angled in on the goal. Frazier’s shot hit the near post, but Flores pounced on the rebound and scored.

Ayla Medina concluded the binge by scoring off a cross from Frazier.

“The first 20 minutes was sweet,” Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said. “Then we just sort of backed off and couldn’t get back into any kind of a rhythm.”

Estancia clamped down on defense after that. Cori Chapin, Stacy McDaniels and Marina Abdul led Eagles’ defensive effort, but the team could not generate any offense.

“We just get too uptight about playing Mesa,” Crenshaw said. “We’ve got to get beyond that. I was hoping we would today.”

Golden West League

Costa Mesa 4, Estancia 0

Score by Halves