Girls soccer: Mesa loses to Bishop Montgomery, 2-0

Joseph Boo

TORRANCE - It was a rude welcome host Bishop Montgomery High gave

Costa Mesa in the Mustangs first-ever playoff appearance. The Knights

scored in the very first minute of Saturday’s CIF Southern Section

Division IV first-round game. The Mustangs could not come back from the

early deficit, and they lost, 2-0.

“They scored a quick goal, and it forced us into an uphill battle,” Costa

Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said. “We were forced to play conservatively.”

Bishop Montgomery’s (19-5-3) goal was an impressive one. Gina Scachetti

took a high pass, played it off her head, dribbled to the penalty box,

and blasted a high shot that went off the outstretched fingertips of

Mesa’s goalie.

After that, Mesa’s defense, which only allowed more than one goal in a

game twice in the regular season, settled down and shut down the Del Rey

champions.

But the Mustangs (8-4-8), who finished fourth in the Pacific Coast League

and are the only at-large participants in the playoffs, had trouble

finding scoring opportunities. They could only muster two Julie Kroening

shots on goals in the first half.

“They’re a heck of a good team,” Johnston said. “They have a heck of a

good defense with good players.”

The underdog Mustangs started the second half as the aggressor, getting

three quick shots in the first 10 minutes. Katie Roche had one clear Mesa

shot that was saved. Kroening and Sandra Sparks also had chances.

Freshman Devin Denman’s attempt came the closest to being a Mesa goal.

Her high floater just skirted the crossbar as it went high.

That woke the Knights up. Bishop Montgomery pushed the ball into its

attacking zone. Its second goal though, was controversial. A Bishop

Montgomery player was knocked down after running into a Mesa player

trying to clear the ball from her zone. Instead of the possession

remaining with the Mustangs, a free kick was awarded to the Knights. On a

set play in the 60th minute, Megan Wood found Scachetti on the right side

for her second goal of the game.

Bishop Montgomery’s defense, which has 15 shutouts to its credit, then

did its job.

“They played a great game,” Johnston said. “We played well enough to win,

but it just didn’t happen.”

While its first playoff experience was brief, it gives Mesa hope for the

future.

“We made the playoffs this year,” Johnston said. “Next year, we’ll try to

go a lot further.”