AYSO All-Stars girls: Riptides never say die

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - If there was one lesson the North Irvine All-star

Tornadoes might have learned, Saturday, it would be to never challenge

the Corona del Mar 10-and-under girls soccer team.

The Riptides of Region 57 will never back down.

CdM, trailing North Irvine of Region 213 by nine points in the

standings of Flight 2 Pool B, answered a one-goal deficit to win, 2-1, at

the Farm Complex in Costa Mesa.

Claire Schmidt, of the Riptides (4-3-1), scored the winning goal with

1:30 remaining. She stole a ball and booted a shot over North Irvine’s

goalie before the two collided as the ball bounced into the net.

Schmidt said she received extra energy because of the Tornadoes’

physical style of play.

“I was mad that Abby (Carrier) got hurt,” Schmidt said of her

teammate, Abigail, who cried after a collision with a North Irvine player

early in the fourth quarter. “I was so happy to score that goal because I

knew we were going to win.”

The Riptides, led by Coaches Jim Conner and Ted Bui, could not have

been so sure of victory in the second quarter. That’s when the Tornadoes

(3-2-3), coached by Shelly Murphy and Tyler McCoy, grabbed the advantage.

North Irvine’s Stephanie Berk finished off a pass from Tyler Walsh to

put the Riptides in a hole.

CdM, however, answered seven minutes later when Carrier found Kelsey

Valley streaking toward the net. Valley tapped in a shot to tie the score

and swing the momentum.

The Riptides were also aided by its defense, including goalie Amy

Youngman who turned back three shots and left the net twice to prevent

Tornado attacks.

North Irvine goalie Arianna Schester finished with two saves and also

left the net twice.

Corona del Mar 10 & under All-Stars girls

The Riptides of Region 57

Cynthia Bui

Abigail Carrier

Kimberly Condino

Kathryn Conner

Megan Gaal

Sara Gothard

Elizabeth Kopaskie

Cicily Lewis

Karly Ogden

Claire Schmidt

Kelsey Valley

Amy Youngman

Coaches: Jim Conner and Ted Bui

North Irvine 10 & under All-Stars girls

The Tornadoes of Region 213

Brooke Able

Stephanie Berk

Bree Costa

Amanda Diesen

Christina Diez

Haley Down

Juliana McLaughlin

Shannon Murphy

Sabrina Sanchez

Arianna Schester

Tyler Walsh

Shelby Yoshida

Coaches: Shelly Murphy and Tyler McCoy