Estancia sleeps, Mesa lies

COSTA MESA — It’s a good thing Costa Mesa High and Estancia will see each other two more times this season, because neither girls’ soccer team got what it really wanted Thursday.

After the Orange Coast League opener for both teams, Eagles Coach Steve Crenshaw found himself hoping the next time the two teams meet, his will have woken up thinking about soccer.

This time, things really didn’t start to kick into high gear until the second half. Estancia (6-7-2, 0-0-1 in league) scored late in the second half to secure a 1-1 tie.

“We let them totally control the first half,” Crenshaw said. “Second half, we finally started playing some soccer ... We were tentative. We let them beat us to every ball.”

Costa Mesa (6-7-3, 0-0-1) opened OCL play with a 1-0 lead, and held it for most of the game.

“We’re competitive with anybody, and so are they, and it showed in the game,” Costa Mesa Coach Dan Johnston said. “We outplayed them the first half. They outplayed us the second half.”

Last season, Costa Mesa was 2-0-1 against Estancia in league, though Estancia defeated Costa Mesa in a nonleague game in the Newport-Mesa tournament. Since there’s no tournament, Thursday’s outcome will be factored into this year’s Cup winner.

Buttressed by speedy junior forward Kyra Graham, the Mustangs were able to push the ball and control the first half.

Junior Ayla Medina scored in the 32nd minute off an assist from Graham, and Costa Mesa led going into halftime.

But the Eagles woke up from their first-half mental blunders, which allowed Graham to get a couple of clear looks at the goal.

On one possession, Graham got the ball near the top of the 18-yard box and drove to the goal almost untouched, but overshot the goal.

However, Eagles freshman Erin O’Neil made things difficult around the goal to limit the Mustangs to one score.

“From the stopper spot on defense, she played a phenomenal game. And, she saved our bacon a number of times,” Crenshaw said. “She was great.”

Costa Mesa goalkeeper Jessica Rubright recorded five of her seven saves in the second half as Estancia had more effective offensive penetration, which finally paid off with a goal by freshman Jackie Freiberger. Estancia goalkeeper Allyson Wallace finished with seven saves as well.

“We did not play our game the second half,” Johnston said. “They took us out of our game.”

Freiberger scored on a one-on-one matchup with Rubright after receiving a cross from senior Jennifer Thomas. Freiberger slid into the kick, and put the ball just past Rubright in the middle of the goal.

“It was definitely difficult to see the end of this game,” Graham said. “I’m kind of disappointed, and it just sucks, really bad.”

SORAYA NADIA McDONALD may be reached at (714) 966-4613 or at [email protected].