Girls soccer: Sailors upset Hawks

Tony Altobelli

LAGUNA HILLS - The fortunate bounces that have evaded Newport

Harbor High’s girls soccer team made their appearance in Tuesday’s 2-0

Sea View League win over host Laguna Hills.

“We’ve been in a bunch of our games, but just haven’t gotten any good

luck,” Coach Jason Sorrell said. “Today, we played hard as a team and

kept the pressure on the other team. It was a good win for us.”

First-half goals by Tory Manchester and Laura Kauth were the

difference for the Sailors (2-6-2, 1-1 in league), while consistent

pressure in the second half kept Laguna Hills, ranked No. 6 in CIF

Southern Section Division III and No. 10 in Orange County, off balance.

“We didn’t want to stop what was working for us in the first half,”

Sorrell said. “Even though we were winning, we wanted to keep taking our

chances and keeping the ball on their side of the field.”

After a pretty even first 20 minutes, Newport Harbor started to

control the tempo.

Manchester attempted a corner kick that somehow managed to find its

way into the far corner of the goal, giving the Sailors a 1-0 lead.

“I’d like to say we’ve been working on that,” Sorrell said with a

laugh. “Everyone just left it alone and it tucked inside the post for

us.”

Shortly thereafter, Laguna Hills (3-4-1, 0-1-1) nearly tied the game,

but a Hawks’ deflection went just wide of the goal.

Goalie Amy Niles, who had nine saves, came up with a nice fist save on

a free kick, sending the shot just over the top of the goal.

“She brings a lot of confidence to the team,” Sorrell said. “When she

says she’s going to get the ball, everyone knows she’s gonna get it.

She’s definitely not shy about getting the ball, that’s for sure.”

Just before the end of the first half, freshman Amy Burlingham stole a

Hawks’ pass, took it the length of the field and fed a wide-open Kauth,

who one-timed it into the goal for a 2-0 Sailors lead.

“Amy has tremendous speed and she uses it well for us,” Sorrell said.

“She has great potential and with some experience and some improvement on

her ballhandling ability, she’s going to be an outstanding player.”

In the second half, Newport survived a few free kicks by the Hawks,

but for the most part, kept the play on Laguna Hills’ side of the field.

“Our goal from the outset was to be aggressive,” Sorrell said. “In the

past, we’d be tentative and the other team would steal and score. I’m

trying to teach them to attack the ball and be the first at the ball. We

definitely got better today at that.”

Laguna Hills’ best shot at a goal came late on a free kick from about

20 yards out, but the shot went well above the goal.

Leading the defensive charge for the Sailors was junior Meredith

Miller and senior Terra McIntosh.

“They both did a real good job out there,” Sorrell said. “But I think

our defensive play as an entire team was the difference out there.”

Newport Harbor continues Sea View League play Thursday against

visiting Woodbridge, ranked No. 4 in CIF Division II, No. 3 in Orange

County.