Sage Hill girls’ soccer beats Pacifica Christian Orange County in San Joaquin League opener
The ranks of the Sage Hill School girls’ soccer team are a bit thinner this season.
Coach Mike Hammond said a few players decided not to come out for their senior year. The Lightning have just two seniors on varsity — goalkeeper Nicole Motherway and defender Alicia Theologides-Rod — and 18 total players on the roster.
“We’ve always had 22 to 24 players on the varsity,” Hammond said. “We only had four subs today, so we’ve got to stay healthy. Every time I come to a game or practice, I’m hoping that everybody’s going to be here, which I don’t think has happened all year.”
Hammond said the Lightning were shorthanded at the North Orange County Classic tournament in late December, where Sage Hill lost three matches by a combined score of 14-1. Still, Sage Hill had enough Tuesday to open San Joaquin League play with a big victory.
Sophomore midfielder Lauren Graham scored a header goal off a cross from junior forward Sofia Lowe in the 39th minute, helping the Lightning notch a 1-0 home win over Pacifica Christian Orange County.
Though rival St. Margaret’s is favored to repeat as league champion, Sage Hill (3-6) is looking for another top-two finish in San Joaquin League play. Sage Hill finished a point ahead of third-place Pacifica Christian last season, after tying St. Margaret’s in its final league match.
The Lightning dominated the run of play on Tuesday against Pacifica Christian (5-2).
“I think we definitely stepped up our game,” Lowe said. “I think the harder opponents we play, the harder we play.”
Sage Hill’s defense was effective against Tritons standout sophomore forward Leila Bahnsen, who has scored eight goals this season. The Lightning graduated an all-senior back line last year, but Theologides-Rod, junior Ava Cooper, sophomore Ann Wood and freshman Elaine He did the job against Pacifica Christian, which didn’t have a shot on goal against Sage Hill sophomore goalkeeper Lainey Cauffman.
He, especially, was aggressive and an effective ball-winner for Sage Hill. She also handled the throw-ins on the right side of the field.
“Elaine, she played like she can play today,” said Hammond, whose team continues league play on the road against Rowland Heights Southlands Christian on Friday at 3:15 p.m. at Carolyn Rosas Park. “She got into the attack, which is what we need, and she had the confidence on the ball that I don’t think we’ve had in a while in the back. But all four of them played well.”
Lowe had a couple of near-misses on crosses from the right in the first half. Credit Pacifica Christian junior goalkeeper Jo Snider, who made six of her seven saves in the first half. Graham and junior midfielder Lexi Van Den Bosch each also had headers that sailed over the goal.
But Graham made the most of her opportunity late in the half, ducking a bit to head the ball past Snider and give Sage Hill the lead.
“Honestly, it was a minute of us just falling asleep,” said Pacifica Christian coach Brandon Gonzalez, whose Tritons play Saddleback Valley Christian on Friday at 2 p.m. at Vista Hermosa Sports Park in San Clemente. “We had a better second half, but I mean, we gave up a goal in the last minute [of the first half]. You don’t give that up when it’s 0-0 and we can get a tie away. I think our midfield three just struggled to possess the game ... They came after us. We try to get it over the top [of the defense] to Leila and get them on the counter. Today, without controlling the midfield, we couldn’t counter. That’s how we beat them last year, but they closed Leila down.”
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