Sea Kings’ season ends at Moorpark

MOORPARK — The wall space in the gym at Corona del Mar High isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

Still, for the girls’ soccer team, Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to Moorpark meant an abrupt end to the Sea Kings’ banner-seeking hopes.

The Sea Kings (13-8-3) lost in a second-round game of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs after playing a largely defensive game against the Musketeers (8-4-10).

It was Coach Bryan Middleton’s fifth playoff appearance in six seasons, but a division title still eludes him. And until the Sea Kings win one, there will be no banners for girls’ soccer hanging in the gym, which is decorated solely with CIF banners.

This time, the Sea Kings’ efforts to advance closer to that vaunted piece of real estate were thwarted after a sluggish start. CdM didn’t cross into Musketeers territory until six minutes into the game.

Moorpark junior Kayla Costa scored in traffic in the 16th minute after her first attempt was kicked out. She found just enough free space with the second one, putting the ball in the bottom right corner to give the Musketeers a 1-0 lead.

Middleton elected to start freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Luke, who had eight saves, even though Luke was ill with the flu and had a 104-degree temperature. Luke had been the de facto goalkeeper for Sea Kings all season.

“We had a lot of momentum coming from the last game,” CdM senior captain Lexi Hensen said. “But I think we could have possibly been a little overconfident. We just didn’t prepare ourselves.”

Senior Alexandra Elias also noticed the Sea Kings’ deficincies.

“We didn’t have the intensity we’ve had the past couple games and it kind of cost us the beginning,” Elias said.

It was a deflating blow to the Sea Kings, who struggled even after halftime, when the wind, which was blowing eastward, favored their efforts.

“The early goal, I think, killed us the most,” said sophomore Hayley Raguse, who had the Sea Kings’ only goal. “Because if we didn’t have that, then it would have been a tie going into the second half and everything would have been completely different. It seems like it puts the extra pressure on you. You’re looking up at the clock and knowing it’s going down, and eventually it’s going to run out if you don’t score.

The Sea Kings had their chances, though sparse, in the first half.

Corona del Mar freshman Tessa Andujar, in the 19th minute, dribbled down the right until she was about five yards out.

She shot, and sophomore goalkeeper Alisa Reich (four saves) knocked the ball out, then fell down. A second-chance shot would have almost guaranteed a tying goal, but no one else was around the ball.

Hensen had a look in the 23rd minute, from the far left corner of the field. She shot, but the ball traveled just inches past the right goal post.

Even in the second half, Hensen had several throw-ins that were aided by the same strong eastward wind that aided the Musketeers in the first half.

But Moorpark made sure to clear the ball, diffusing the Sea Kings’ opportunities.

“That helped out a lot,” Hensen said. “I threw it almost into the goal and normally I can’t do that. The wind advantage helps a lot.”

It was Moorpark’s second goal, however, that really stung.

Elias was covering Costa inside the box, and the two were side by side when Costa stepped and shot. Elias stopped, and bent her head in frustration.

“That was a tough one to let go by,” Elias, who was still visibly bothered by the play, even after the game. “That was a defensive mistake. It was a bummer.”

Corona del Mar rallied after Raguse scored in the 67th minute, but it was too late. Despite fighting for the ball until the clock ran down, the Musketeers finally took possession and kept the ball in the Sea Kings’ left corner, hoping to play keep away, or force a corner kick if Corona del Mar kicked the ball out.

Raguse took a through ball as she was battling a Moorpark defender, and dribbled straight up the middle, putting a shot past Reich to the top right.

Raguse was running neck-and-neck with the Moorpark defender until her final two steps, when she shot, careful not to draw the offsides penalties that led to seven Sea Kings’ turnovers.

“Our goal was well-deserved,” Middleton said. “We played a through ball and finally broke through without being offsides. Hayley put it away nicely.”

The Sea Kings ended up playing on the road after losing the CIF coin toss. Hensen said it was the farthest the team had traveled for a playoff game in her four years at Corona del Mar.

Rather than take a bus, everyone met at school, then drove caravan-style up to Moorpark.

Five seniors ended their CdM soccer careers Wednesday, leaving a team to be inherited largely by sophomores and freshmen. The Sea Kings ended their turnaround year with 13 wins, after coming off a season which they went 4-9-3.

“I think we have a lot of potential,” Raguse said. “But it’s still a bummer, because we had a really great team, and those seniors were a big help. But it’s exciting, because hopefully for the next three years we can get further.”

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at soraya.mcdonald@latimes.com.