Tough girls step up to win

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COSTA MESA — Last week before the ninth annual Daily Pilot Cup began, the Mariners Christian girls played as hard as they could against the school’s top boys’ team.

“It was weird,” said Kirsten Morehouse, who is on the Mariners Christian girls’ fifth- and sixth-grade Gold Division team. “They were really good ... it helped us in being a team. It helped us get ready.”

Turns out, all that playing against the boys helped the Mariners Christian girls, Morehouse included.

She scored two goals Thursday, leading Mariners Christian to a 2-1 win over Pegasus. The victory secured Mariners Christian a spot in Saturday’s quarterfinals. Mariners Christian, which finished second in its pool, will play Eastbluff, which finished first in its pool, at 5:45 p.m. at the Costa Mesa Farm Complex.

The Mariners Christian boys also finished second in its pool of the fifth- and sixth-grade Gold Division and will face Newport Coast Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

“Confidence probably played 95% in [Thursday’s win],” said Clay Randall, one of four coaches for the Mariners Christian girls. “I think they started believing when they started practicing last week. They took it right to [the boys]. They didn’t let up. They said, ‘We’re going to come right at you.’ ”

That’s what Morehouse seem to say when she scored her first goal eight minutes into the game. Just before the ball bounced out of bounds, she gathered it near the Pegasus’ sideline and eventually set herself up for a breakaway that she finished.

Three minutes into the second half, she struck again, this time putting in a pass from Natalie Ward. But Lindsey Danley helped Pegasus answer right back two minutes later.

Shelby Brown booted a nice corner kick toward Danley and Danley kicked the ball into the goal.

Mariners Christian controlled the rest of the game. But couldn’t finish off its scoring chances, mainly because of Pegasus goalie Elizabeth Farkas.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at steve.virgen@latimes.com.