Girls soccer: Mustangs, CdM each make their point, 1-1

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Another Costa Mesa High-Corona del Mar matchup,

another girls soccer classic.

Perhaps it is fitting that the Mustangs and Sea Kings ended their

contest in a 1-1 tie Tuesday at Mesa in a battle for first place in the

Pacific Coast League.

Last year, CdM (18-1-3, 4-0-1 in league) took the first of two games

with a 1-0 victory by virtue of Molly O’Meara’s goal with less than a

minute remaining. The second game ended in a scoreless tie at CdM.

The 2001 matchup provided enough thrills and spills for an Arnold

Schwarzenegger film and equaled its drama as it featured CdM, ranked No.

1 in CIF Southern Section Division IV, and the Mustangs (11-3-3, 3-0-1 in league), No. 5 in CIF Division IV.

Mesa sophomore Sharon Day scored her 20th goal of the season, a school

single-season record, when she converted on a penalty kick in the 42nd

minute.

CdM, however, knotted the game when Jaycee Mahler finished a pass from

Natalia Dorfman with 11 minutes remaining. The tie ended CdM’s 11-game

winning streak, but the Sea Kings are unbeaten in 18 games.

“This team has arrived,” Coach Dan Johnston said of his Mustangs.

“They have confidence in themselves. And, they play so well together.”

After a scoreless first half, Mesa began the second with vigor. The

Mustangs stormed their way to a corner kick in the opening minute and

Mesa sophomore Emily Abbott drew a penalty.

The ensuing penalty kick displayed what might be the PCL’s two best

players at their respective positions, Day vs. Britta Vogele. Day won

this round, but Vogele stopped her cold three times in the first half and

the CdM senior bound for Iowa finished with nine saves.

“(Vogele) is as good as they get,” Johnston said. “She was smart, too.

She came out on balls that a lot of goalies would not come out on and

that made a huge difference.”

The 1-0 advantage allowed the Mustangs to control the tempo and the

Sea Kings. But, CdM shifted the momentum in the final 15 minutes.

In the 69th minute, Dorfman’s kick spun toward Mahler, but Mesa goalie

Chelsea Soria approached the ball. Mahler beat everyone to the ball and

booted it into the back of the net.

Mahler’s shot was the Sea Kings’ 18th attempt as Soria, Katie Roche

and Devin Denman pestered CdM with several defensive stops. Soria

finished with 11 saves.

Less than a minute after Mahler’s goal, the Sea Kings nearly scored

when CdM’s Lauren Shepardson drew a foul and almost connected on the

ensuing indirect free kick.

“I thought Shep got hammered just as hard late in the game, if not

harder,” Sea Kings Coach Ron Evans said, comparing the collision to the

foul called against his team earlier. “That’s how it goes. That’s why the

referees are paid to make those calls. It should’ve been (a penalty).”

CdM began the game with the advantage, outshooting the Mustangs, 11-4.

The Sea Kings’ continual attacks earned four corner kicks and, in the

13th minute, O’Meara’s header nearly found the net. But, Soria stepped up

for the save.

“It’s tough to keep a team as talented as Corona out of the net,”

Johnston said. “They had their chances. Their goal was just beautiful.

But, I was very proud of our defense. We were at our swarming best. We

were covering for one another.”

Because of the importance of the game, many players continued to play

despite injury. With two minutes left in the first half, CdM’s Elisha

Morgan collided with a Mesa player, but continued to play. She missed the

game’s first 10 minutes because of an injury suffered in Monday’s win

over Northwood.

With eight minutes remaining, Day crashed into Vogele. Day fell and

stayed on the ground. But, she rose to her feet and refused to leave the

game.

O’Meara pulled her right calf muscle, but quickly stretched and was

ready to return with seven minutes left.

“We knew this was going to be a big game,” Evans said. “When we fell

down 1-0, it was tough to score on them. They got a (penalty kick) and we

didn’t. I thought that was the difference.”