Sailors’ playoff dreams are still afloat

Stephanie Lambrakis scores twice as Tars win regular season finale. Now they need help from Aliso Niguel on Thursday.NEWPORT BEACH -- The Newport Harbor High girls’ soccer team ended their final league game just as they started it.

Each Sailors player sported smiles as the final minutes counted down toward a 2-0 shutout over Laguna Hills on Tuesday.

The win put Newport Harbor in position for a playoff berth, but it will depend on Thursday’s game between Aliso Niguel and Irvine. Should Aliso Niguel win, the Sailors would reach the playoffs.

The Sailors took control offensively in the first half, converting 17 shots into two goals as senior Stephanie Lambrakis scored in the 27th and 38th minute.

In the previous meeting between the teams on Jan. 20, Newport Harbor won, but two players were ejected after an altercation between players from each team.

Tuesday’s game was much different, and Newport Harbor Coach Phil D’Agostino said the advantage was with his team from the start.

“The girls were pumped up,” he said. “You can’t quantify that advantage.”

“I had a lot of fun,” added Kristal Wright, who is headed for Southeastern Louisiana University in the fall. “Everyone was really into it.”

The team marked Senior Day by sending blue and white balloons and signs with the names of the Sailors’ seniors written on them into the sky. At the same time, the Sailors knew a loss would end their season right then and there.

“We knew it was a must-win,” said Newport Harbor goalkeeper Mary Giberson.

“We carried that with us from beginning to end.”

The Sailors (7-10-2, 4-4-2) took a 1-0 lead after Lambrakis launched a shot that caromed off the leg of a Laguna Hills player and dribbled into the net from a couple feet out.

“We’ll take that,” D’Agostino said.

“They just got a good breakaway and we got unlucky,” said Laguna Hills Coach Stacia Pollock.

In the 35th minute, two attempts by Crystal Mena and Lambrakis were close but unsuccessful, as one was hit just above the goal and the second skimmed the top of the net.

After the ball spent most of the first half on the east side of the field in favor of the Sailors, Lambrakis scored the second -- a much prettier goal, D’Agostino said -- after finding an opening on the left side.

In the second half, the relentless efforts by the Hawks (8-7-3, 0-7-3) to score were put aside by the Newport Harbor defense and Giberson, who finished with 12 saves.

In the final minutes of the game, Laguna Hills had two shots on goal, but neither was converted.

“We haven’t won a league game all season,” said Pollock. “They could have given up, but they fought until the end.”

Laguna Hills amassed 15 shots on goal, while sophomore goalkeeper Tiffany Olivarez finished with 11 saves.

As for the Sailors, D’Agostino said the game was much more indicative of their aggressiveness.

“This is the way we play,” said D’Agostino. “If we can just make the playoffs, it’s just a four-game show. We would step up even more because we thrive under pressure.”

Sea View League

Newport Harbor 2, Laguna Hills 0

Score by Halves