Mariners Christian wins on PK
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Barry Faulkner
There could not have been a greater contrast Thursday between the
split second that decided the game and the remaining 50-plus minutes
of girls soccer action between fifth- and sixth-grade gold division,
pool B rivals Mariners Christian School and Eastbluff Elementary.
The lone goal in a Daily Pilot Cup clash at the Costa Mesa Sports
Farm Complex came with the action stopped, as Katie Deverian directed
a slow rolling penalty kick inside the left post three minutes into
the 25-minute second half.
The rest of the game featured a much faster pace as both teams
battled relentlessly for the slightest edge.
“That was two very strong teams,” said Mariners Coach John
Devarian, whose team can close out pool play unbeaten today, should
it get past winless TeWinkle (5:30 p.m.). “We thought, coming in,
that Kaiser [which Mariners defeated, 1-0, Wednesday on a Katie
Deverian goal], would be our strongest competition. But Eastbluff was
a very strong opponent.”
By virtue of possessing the ball more in the opponent’s half of
the field, Mariners was the stronger team Thursday. The winners took
seven shots to Eastbluff’s four, but had, by far, the best of the
quality scoring chances.
Lauren Norman had a shot from close range denied on a sparkling
save by Eastbluff goalie Taryn Greenberg and Greenberg came seemingly
out of nowhere to stop a direct free kick bent deftly around a wall
set up in front late in the second half.
Greenberg sparkled for Eastbluff, posting five saves, while
Eastbluff coaches Larry Cano and Phil Greenberg also singled out
sweeper Amanda Garrett and stopper Samantha Gail for their defensive
prowess.
Defense was also key for Mariners, which, for the most part,
limited Eastbluff’s best chances to breakaway runs from midfield by
Scarlet Fallon.
John Devarian praised the strong play of sweeper Kendall Langdon
and goalie Lindsay Anderson (two saves), while also lauding the
offensive contributions of Lainy Barkley and Katie Devarian.
Like the Eastbluyff coaches, however, he was quick to praise the
contributions of the entire team. Every player on both teams saw
playing time, due to a constant substitution shuffle.
Eastbluff, which defeated TeWinkle Wednesday, 5-0, plays Kaiser
tonight at 6:30 for the right to advance into the championship
playoffs.
“I’m proud of the kids, who, I thought, really left everything on
the field,” Cano said. “We got an unlucky penalty in the box and that
was the difference in the game.”
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