Girls soccer: Sea Kings strike early

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - After Corona del Mar High’s Molly O’Meara connected

for a goal 57 seconds into a nonleague girls soccer game against Back Bay

rival Newport Harbor, it appeared the Sailors were in for a long night.

The Tars proved otherwise.

But, the visiting Sea Kings still finished on top with a 1-0 victory

in a classic, intense battle Saturday night.

CdM’s Lauren Shepardson faked on a free kick as she ran by the ball

and O’Meara followed, sending the ball into Harbor’s goal.

Yet, the action went back and forth, to say the least, as the Tars

answered O’Meara’s goal with several attacks on offense.

The loss, certainly, did not dampen the spirits of Harbor Coach Jason

Sorrell.

“We did enough where the girls came off the field thinking that we did

not deserve to lose that game,” Sorrell said. “The score was a little bit

irrelevant. I felt we had the better chances (to score).”

Still, the CdM victory was huge for the Sea Kings (14-1-2), not only

because the win came over their rival, but because they maintained

momentum without their team captain. The Sea Kings showed why they are

ranked No. 6 in Orange County and No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division

IV preseason poll.

CdM’s Margit Vogele left the game just before the first half ended

when she suffered a cut inches away from her left eye. She could barely

open her eye after the injury and she went to Hoag Hospital when the game

ended to receive four stitches.

Vogele, injured when she collided with a Harbor player, said she felt

an elbow hit her eye. She said she should be ready for CdM’s first

Pacific Coast League game Tuesday at Laguna Beach.

“It was upsetting that I couldn’t play the whole game,” said Vogele,

who chose to stay and watch the game rather than receive treatment

immediately. “I wanted to stay to see what would happen. I really didn’t

want to leave. I was glad that we still won. We played hard.”

The loss of Vogele presented a great challenge for the Sea Kings. They

responded with their ninth shutout and an awesome display of desire.

“Everyone else rose to the occasion,” CdM Coach Ron Evans said. “I

felt we had better opportunities (than Harbor). Harbor is a great team. I

don’t think that Harbor played above its head. They are a class team. Any

time we play them, it’s going to be a good game.”

The Tars (6-4-2) nearly evened the score in the final minute. Harbor

sophomore Amy Burlingham raced out on a breakaway and almost scored after

her kick sailed wide left.

“The score doesn’t reflect it,” Burlingham said. “But, we showed that

we wanted to play, that we’re improving and that we’re ready for league.”

Harbor’s readiness led to highlight-type plays in the second half.

CdM’s Lauren Loe kicked a nice pass to Jaycee Mahler who almost scored,

but for Harbor goalie KiIssa Tyler’s heroic save. Tyler made seven of her

nine saves before halftime.

CdM goalie Britta Vogele also made a huge save when she kicked away a

scoring chance and collided with Harbor’s Katie Younglove, who fell to

the ground after the crash. Britta Vogele remained on her feet and jumped

over Younglove on her way back to CdM’s goal.

“I was just trying to show them what’s up,” said Britta, Margit’s

twin, who finished with six saves. “I took it personally (when Margit was

injured). I tried to tune it out. But, it made me (mad). We were all

focused after that.”

Said O’Meara: “Everyone on our team did a really good job of settling

the ball, playing our game and playing with a lot of heart, because

that’s what the Harbor-Corona game is about. It’s who wants it more, who

has more heart.”