Sage Hill’s six-pack

NEWPORT COAST — If soccer is all about ball control, then Sage Hill School’s soccer team was running its own 22-girl autocracy Saturday.

The Lightning had contributions from five different scorers as they rolled to a 6-0 victory over Saddleback Valley Christian in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs.

Kirby Anderson had two goals, and Megan Kim, Louisa Whitaker, Isa-Maria Taskinen, and Danielle Goodman all added scores.

Anderson struck first in the 16th minute with a cross from senior Kellee Kim, which she booted to the upper left corner of the net.

She scored again, in the 57th minute on a pass from freshman Megan Kim.

It was an easy victory for the Lightning, who only allowed one shot on goal, a free kick by senior Ashley Peters in the 25th minute.

It was also the third-highest offensive output of the season. Sage Hill scored 12 against Capistrano Valley Christian Jan. 19, and scored 10 against the same team Dec. 18.

The ball only crossed into Lightning territory five times, leaving sophomore goalkeeper Hannah MacLeod alone for a good part of the game. MacLeod had one save.

“It was a really sleepy game,” Whitaker said. “But we still dominated somehow.”

Whitaker had two first-half opportunities to score that didn’t quite make it. She faced the Warriors goalkeeper one on one, and the ball was saved, and on her second chance, she had a clear shot, but opted for a cross to Anderson.

The third time, however, was golden.

Whitaker snuck the ball past Warriors junior Meredith Matranga.

Especially for the Warriors, Saturday’s drubbing was a huge departure from the meeting between the two teams Dec. 11. They had a close game — at one point tied, 2-2 — before the Lightning rallied in the last two minutes to win, 3-2.

The Warriors were missing two of their best players Saturday. Junior Nina Adamo, the San Jaoquin League MVP, was out because of an injury, and junior all-league sweeper Bree Adamo was absent for the same reason.

Because of ski week (their school had the week off), McKeown said, the Warriors had no substitution players.

Saddleback Valley also rotated three players at goalkeeper, and together, they had 12 saves.

But the Lightning finished with 22 shots.

“I don’t think it makes her job or her team’s job any easier not having a true goalkeeper,” Sage Hill coach Chino Cid said. “When you don’t have a goalkeeper — goalkeeping is all about having insticts and knowing where the ball is going — when you don’t have a player that’s a true goalkeeper, it makes it a little bit difficult.”

Sage Hill, which won its first league title this season, will face Animo Leadership of Inglewood Wednesday in the second round of the playoffs at a site to be determined by a coin flip. The Lightning lost, 2-0, to Animo Jan. 5 in the St. Margaret’s tournament. At the time, they were missing four starters, Cid said. Now, everyone is healthy, but the Lightning could lose three players, including their starting sweeper, because ski week starts Monday.

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