CdM handles Estancia, 6-0

Richard Dunn

COSTA MESA - Timing is everything for Corona del Mar High’s girls

soccer team.

And, with one week remaining in the Pacific Coast League season and a

possible league championship awaiting, Coach Ron Evans’ Sea Kings find

themselves right on schedule.

“Really, the key to the high school game is to make sure you peak at

the right time, and to come out loose and not tense,” said Evans, whose

team earned a 6-0 PCL victory Thursday over host Estancia and seems to be

getting better as time goes on.

“I’d much rather win 2-0 the first time against Estancia, like we did,

and 6-0 the second time, rather than flopping (those results).”

Corona del Mar, ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division IV,

hasn’t been to the playoffs in seven years. But it is playing now as if

it hasn’t o7 missedf7 the postseason in that span.

“We’re putting the ball in front of the net and getting a lot of

scoring opportunities,” said Evans, whose squad attempted a season-high

43 shots, while holding Estancia to just one shot attempt -- which came

on a direct kick in the final 10 seconds of the lopsided contest.

Estancia (5-11, 0-6 in PCL), depleted because of injuries, suffered a

setback late in the first half when it lost freshman standout Nereyda

Quintana, who severely injured her left knee and was taken to the

hospital by her mother.

“She just turned and I heard a crack,” Estancia Coach Anton Striegl

said. “Her cleats just stuck in the turf. Our trainer said it was a

possible tear of the (anterior cruciate ligament). But hopefully it’s

not.”

The Eagles, already missing senior captain Mehgan Fay and freshman

Karleen Curran because of injuries, played without senior goalie Helen

Flores (team policy conflicts). But Emily Lopez, Maria Sanchez and Amanda

Abbott filled in nicely for Estancia in goal, especially Lopez, who

recorded 14 saves, 10 in the second half.

CdM (12-4-3, 5-0-1), which could wrap up the league title with a

victory Tuesday over University, scored three goals in the opening 12

minutes and coasted to the win.

Senior Julia Livingston made runs from the midfield to score CdM’s

first two goals, then sophomore Allison Harvey rifled one into the goal

on a pass from freshman Jennifer Long (two assists) in the 12th minute

for a 3-0 CdM edge.

Harvey assisted Livingston on the Sea Kings’ first goal in the sixth

minute.

In the 11th minute, Long controlled the ball deep in the corner and

dished to Livingston in the middle, setting up the second goal.

In the second half, CdM attempted 25 of its 43 shots -- topping the

team’s previous high of 40 shots in a preleague game against Bolsa

Grande, a 9-0 CdM win.

Junior Margit Vogele scored from close range for the Sea Kings four

minutes into the second half, then Harvey fired in a left-footer on a

breakaway in the 60th minute to give CdM a 5-0 cushion.

In the 77th minute, CdM sophomore Alison Brawner controlled the ball

in the middle, after an Estancia defender cleared it out to her, and

tallied the final goal.

“We were working with three up top this time, to make sure we had more

people in scoring positions,” Evans said.

Since making a few defensive switches, Evans said freshman Paige Janes

has come into her own.

“She’s awesome,” Evans said. “I put her on the opposing team’s best

forward now. She can not only shut down any forward in the league, but

any forward in all CIF.”

For Estancia, Striegl added that sophomore Arlis Reynolds played an

outstanding game at sweeper, and senior Becca Silva had her usual solid

effort.

“We didn’t have Helen and we had three or four key injuries, so we had

a real young lineup in the back,” Striegl said. “At some points, we had

an all-freshmen defense and (the Sea Kings) kind of exploited that. I

told my freshmen, ‘You’re the future,’ and I put them back there.”