Golden goal lifts Estancia girls’ soccer to CIF semifinal

Estancia High girls’ soccer is now in the final four.

Sophomore Vanessa Pastrana scored a golden goal in the second overtime period and the Eagles won at Grand Terrace, 2-1, on Wednesday night in a CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoff quarterfinal match.

Pastrana’s goal came following a corner kick from Kimberly Munoz and a scrum in the box.

“The girls are definitely fired up,” Juarez said in a phone interview. “We definitely have a talented team and that was an emotional game. Just to get late in the game and score that was of course big for us. We seemed pretty confident after the first goal.”

Top-seeded Estancia (19-3-1), the Orange Coast League champion, will remain on the road Saturday to play at San Jacinto (17-6-4) in a Division 5 semifinal match.

The Eagles have not advanced to a CIF title match in program history.

They fell behind in the second half Wednesday night after giving up a penalty kick goal, before Estancia senior Ana Pacheco scored an equalizer. Juarez said Pacheco, who has spent most of the year playing defense, recently came back from a sprained ankle.

The back line of seniors Sarah Hernandez and Ava Johner, as well as freshman Aisleen Avalos and sophomore goalkeeper Abby McIntyre, kept Grand Terrace off the scoreboard the rest of the way.