Mustangs clicking in CIF first round

Steve Virgen

There was a steady downpour of rain during Costa Mesa High’s girls

soccer matchup against visiting La Habra, but that didn’t faze the

Mustangs, who easily won their first-round CIF Southern Section

Division III playoff game, 6-0, Saturday.

The Mustangs (16-5), as their coach Dan Johnston said, were

clicking on all cylinders, as they recorded their eighth straight

shutout. Their performance seemed more show than sport against the

Highlanders (10-9-2).

Junior Nilani Duarte scored two goals and dished out two assists,

while sophomore Jasmin Day also scored two goals. Juniors Rachel

Ronquillo and Kristen Paulsen contributed one goal each, and junior

Jenny Sparks added two assists.

“We passed through them like they weren’t even there on the

defense,” said Johnston, whose team won a share of the CIF Division

III title last year. “I was tickled with the way we were moving the

ball around.”

Costa Mesa, the Golden West League champion, will face Norco

(16-5-5) in the second round Wednesday at a site to be determined by

coin flip. The Mustangs appear to have a great amount of momentum

after their win over La Habra.

“We’re playing a lot better than we played in league,” Day said.

“We’re talking a lot more and passing. We’re coming together as a

team now.”

Day had a part in the Mustangs’ first goal. Just 99 seconds into

the game, Costa Mesa scored when Day’s cross was settled by Sparks,

who sent a nice pass to Ronquillo. The Highlanders matched the

Mustangs in terms of attacking through the first 10 minutes, but

Costa Mesa finished on its opportunities.

In the 10th minute, Day scored an unassisted goal. Moments after a

corner kick, the Spartans were trying to clear the ball out, but Day

poked through the defense and kicked it in from about eight yards

out.

Duarte and Day teamed up for a goal in the 25th minute. Duarte put

a pass in front of Day, who was heading toward the net. The ball

bounced just within the 18-yard box and the La Habra goalie came out

to try to grab it.

But Day was quicker to the ball and tipped it past her, leaving

herself in the clear for the goal and a 3-0 lead.

With four minutes left before halftime, Duarte made a pretty goal

on a direct free kick from about 15 yards out on the wing near the

home sideline. Johnston appeared to be relaxed with a 4-0 lead at the

break.

“I was very proud of them,” Johnston said. “ We played very well

the whole game.”

The Mustangs continued to attack in the second half. Less than

three minutes into the half, Duarte put away another goal, this time

taking a pass from Sparks and sending a shot in the bottom left

corner of the net. Day nearly gained a hat trick, when the La Habra

goalie came out again and Day kicked it past her. But Day ran out of

room as the ball dribbled out of bounds, wide right of the net.

“[This game with the rain] was probably the same as any other

except for a little slipping and sliding here and there,” Day said.

“You could slide easier and that was kind of fun. It was just the

same. I don’t think it was a problem.”

With 12 minutes remaining, Duarte struck with another accurate

direct free kick, this time from about 35 yards out and more toward

the center of the field. The ball bounced in front of the net and

Paulsen guided it in with her knee.

While the Costa Mesa offense dominated the Highlanders, Johnston

was also pleased with the Mustangs defense, which included solid

efforts from seniors Kara Jenkins and Stacy Krikorian, as well as

senior Julie Nomura and junior goalie Kindra Bailey, who had five

saves.