Sea Kings lose, 3-1

CORONA DEL MAR — Bryan Middleton always looks forward to playing Mater Dei High.

The girls’ soccer game between the Monarchs and Middleton’s Corona del Mar team has come to signify the opening of the season, as they met for the fourth consecutive time to start the year on Tuesday.

But for Middleton, who is in his fifth season as the Sea Kings coach, the excitement is more of what the Monarchs bring to the field than the start to the soccer season.

Mater Dei has consistently been one of the top teams in CIF Southern Section Division I. For the Sea Kings, who lost in the first round of the Division II playoffs last season, it is a chance to get some early practice, which resulted in a 3-1 loss at home to the Monarchs. It also provided the framework of what the team will work on early in the preseason.

“I love to play Mater Dei because they’re one best teams,” Middleton said. “They are the best team we will play all year. Three to one is a good result against Mater Dei.”

Middleton said his team came in slightly intimidated by Mater Dei, which finished with a 20-4-3 record last season. The Sea Kings went into the half trailing, 2-0. The first goal came from midfielder Jackie Zinke, who would have enrolled at Corona del Mar if she did not attend the private school, Middleton said.

“They were two steps ahead of us in the second half,” Middleton said. “At halftime, we talked about how they are faster than us so we have to put in more effort.”

The refocused play worked as senior forward Kaleigh Trider cut the lead to 2-1 when, off a pass from sophomore forward A.J. Rome, Trider blasted a shot past the goalkeeper from 25 yards out.

“We played well, but we could have played better,” Trider said. “We just needed to take more shots.”

The Sea Kings were only able to get off four more shots after Trider’s goal early in the second half. Senior forward Alex Tobiessen took three of the shots. One Tobiessen shot narrowly missed off a breakaway and another she secured a pass using her height, but the shot was deflected by the goalkeeper.

“It’s really important to be physical with the defenders,” Tobiessen said. “Some of the small girls are scrappy though. My height is especially good for winning balls in the air.”

Before the Sea Kings can begin winning on a consistent basis the bevy of new players will have to be integrated into the offense and defense.

Middleton focuses his offense around precision passing from defenders and midfielders to work the ball down field to the forwards.

With 15 new players, including seven freshman, Middleton said it will take approximately two weeks before the offense can be expected to reach its potential.

“I want to play pretty soccer not kick and chase,” Middleton said.