Orange Coast College

Women's soccer stuns defending state champ Long Beach

Friday, September 08, 2006

COSTA MESA – The “Friendly Confines” of LeBard Stadium seem to suit the Orange Coast College women’s soccer team very well.

After a lackluster effort on Wednesday at the OCC Soccer Complex, the Pirates played Friday’s nonconference match with defending state champions on the football team’s home turf and controlled the Vikings from the opening whistle for a 2-0 win, further perplexing coach Kevin Smith.

“That’s what makes Wednesday’s effort so frustrating,” Smith said, referring to the team’s 1-0 loss to Cerritos. “After a strong effort like this one today, I’m going to expect that type of effort every time out. I know it’s in them.”

Outshooting the Vikings 17-4, the Pirates (3-2 overall) picked up first-half goals from Stacey Shoop and Ashley Boyer. Meanwhile the rest of the Pirate squad did a nice job of completely shutting down the Long Beach’s explosive offense firepower.

“I was extremely pleased with how well composed we were when we had the ball deep in their side of the field,” Smith said. “We were able to keep any offensive flow from happening for them. We were able to get them out of rhythm on both sides of the ball.”

The 2-0 halftime score could have doubled if not for the strong play of Viking goalkeeper Rita Brown, who made a nice save on a high shot by Boyer in the fifth minute and a nice save off a Courtney Hanson header later in the half. She finished the half with eight saves and was followed by Sara Phillips, who recorded two second half saves.

Coast’s goalkeeper, Katie Johnson, picked up the shutout win with only two saves, thanks in large part to the strong play from the Pirates’ midfielders and defenders.

Long Beach (1-2-2), ranked No. 1 nationally in the NSCAA/Adidas JC Division III poll, will return to action on Tuesday in Antelope Valley (7 p.m.), while the Pirates open up Orange Empire Conference play at LeBard Stadium against Saddleback, beginning at 3 p.m.