Sea Kings beat Tars with ease

CORONA DEL MAR — All the Corona del Mar High girls’ soccer team needed was a little reminder of the importance of the Back Bay rivalry.

Sea Kings Coach Bryan Middleton gave his team a motivational speech at halftime of their game against Newport Harbor and Corona del Mar responded with three second-half goals to take its first game in the inaugural Newport-Mesa Cup, 3-0, over the Sailors Thursday at Corona del Mar.

Three of the Sea Kings’ four captains scored in the game. Seniors Stephanie Brown, Kaleigh Trider and Alex Tobiessen each scored a goal.

“It was a great win,” Middleton said. “We didn’t play that well in the first half. Against Harbor it was get the ball down at our feet and get the ball to our outside midfielders. We wanted to play more offensively than defensively. I told them at halftime, ‘This the Battle of the Bay. You have to come out with more intensity.’ It was an overall team effort I’m proud of everybody.”

Brown scored the Sea Kings’ first goal in the 44th minute off a free kick from 30 yards out. The shot flew over the defense and goalkeeper and ricocheted off the cross bar and in.

Trider gave Corona del Mar a 2-0 lead when she volleyed in a corner kick. Junior midfielder Alex Elias earned the assist by sending the corner kick to Trider on the far post in the 59th minute.

Tobiessen popped a shot over the charging goalkeeper in the games’ final minute to score and give Corona del Mar a 3-0 lead.

“It was a through ball over the top of the midfield,” Middleton said. “With her speed she was able to outrun the defenders and on the bounce at the top of the 18-box she volleyed it over the keeper.”

Middleton also said senior right defender Ali Torres, a captain, played well along with freshman goalkeeper Corey Cano, who had six saves.

“And freshman left midfielder Hayley Raguse had a great game on the outside,” Middleton said.

Corona del Mar will face Estancia, a 3-0 winner over Costa Mesa Thursday, at 2:15 p.m. at Orange Coast College’s soccer field in the second game of pool play.

Newport Harbor plays Costa Mesa at 3:30 p.m.