Leopards hold off Adams

COSTA MESA ? If every scoring chance counted for a goal, Adams Elementary could have set a scoring record on Saturday afternoon in a girls’ third-and fourth-grade Gold Division semifinal at the Daily Pilot Cup.

Instead, Lincoln moves on.

Adams had most of the chances, but Lincoln’s Birkley Sigband made the most of hers in a 1-0 Leopards victory. With the win, Lincoln advances to today’s championship match against four-time defending champ Andersen Elementary.

Sigband scored the only goal against Adams, stealing the ball seven minutes into the second half and slicing it into the left side of the net.

Adams had about 20 shots on goal over the course of the game, with speedy forwards Sarah “Mini” Leahy and Haley Flores, along with tall defender Angelina Frieberger, providing much of the pressure.

But Lincoln goalie Sara Clark had an answer every time, finishing with nine saves ? six in the first half.

“That team was very strong,” said Lincoln Coach Mitch Sigband. “Our girls just decided they wanted to win this game. It’s hard for kids at this age to run up and down the field for 30 minutes, but they never quit.”

Sigband brought his daughter Birkley and forward Zoe Condon back in the closing moments, holding off the Adams attack.

“It felt really good,” Condon said. “I thought they were going to beat us. They thought they were going to beat us.”

Adams Coach John Leahy said his team just ran out of gas near the end of the game.

“We had a lot of chances; we just couldn’t get any to go in,” Leahy said. “We both ran out of gas, but they cashed in on their opportunity.”

Adams was hurt by couple of offside calls in the first half. In the second half, the team had its best opportunity when Frieberger got free on the right side, but her hurried shot hit off the side of the net.

Sarah Leahy, nicknamed “Mini” for her short stature, was up and down the field all day for Adams.

Caitlin Leahy had six saves in goal for Adams.

Helping lead Lincoln were Kira Woods, Jamie Kingkade, Elin Wolker, Nicole Lloyd, Claire Keddington, Jessica Babaknia and Emily Glenn.

Lincoln lost to Andersen in last year’s Girls’ 3-4 Gold Division title game, 4-2.