Girls soccer: Mesa salvages a tie, playoff chances

Joseph Boo

COSTA MESA - Costa Mesa High’s girls soccer team demonstrated every

possible way to score a goal against visiting University on Tuesday in a

crucial Pacific Coast League game. But bad luck and a good Uni defense

almost doomed Mesa until a Katie Roche goal in the 85th minute tied the

game, 1-1.

The tie keeps Mesa (8-3-7, 2-2-2) one point ahead of Uni (3-8-2, 2-2-1)

for third place in the PCL and the final automatic playoff spot in CIF

Southern Section Division IV.

But the Trojans have a 3-0 victory against Mesa this season, and they

have three games left against last-place Estancia, second-place Laguna

Beach and Corona del Mar, undefeated in PCL. The Mustangs only have two

games left with Laguna Beach and CdM. If there is a tie for third, then

Uni would take it with its earlier win against Mesa.

Costa Mesa came out determined to pick up the win. In the game’s first 10

minutes, Mesa’s Julie Kroening and Sharon Day combined to set up good

opportunities on three shots, but neither could score. A Mesa corner kick

was also cleared away.

Uni converted in the 15th minute, when Brook Ferguson’s shot went in

above Mesa’s goalie. The Trojans had several good opportunities off of

counter, but they couldn’t convert, and went into halftime up, 1-0.

The Mustangs retook the momentum in the second half and harrassed Uni’s

goalie. Day had a couple of shots that just missed going in. Mae Powers

also had one good shot that was saved.

But Mesa’s closest call came in the 60th minute, when Fernanda Valazco

launched a perfect shot to the upper right-hand corner of the goal. Both

Mesa and Uni thought it went in, but the ball hit the corner and

deflected out.

“I though we really dominated that second half,” Costa Mesa Coach Dan

Johnston said. “And Fernanda had that one go off the post. That was a

beautiful shot. But what can you do.”

After that close call, the Mustangs continued their unrelenting attack.

They finally broke through Uni’s defense when Roche knocked in a cross

pass from Day for the tying goal.

“We had good composure at the end, and that’s what I liked best about our

team,” Johnston said. “We suffered so many close calls during the game,

but the girls didn’t get demoralized.”

It would have been easy for Mesa to panic toward the end when a loss

would have been devastating. Instead, the Mustangs hang on to their

chance for the playoffs.

“The point helps,” Johnston said, “But we’ve got to do something against

Laguna Beach and CdM, and we need some help. We’ll just have to see what

happens.”