Girls soccer: Harbor’s weakness leads to tie

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - The weak spot of the Newport Harbor High girls

soccer team reared its ugly head Thursday. Fortunately, for the Sailors,

the results weren’t as unsightly as Harbor settled for a 1-1 tie with

visiting Mater Dei in nonleague action.

The Tars’ weak spot ...

“We need to work on our consistency,” Newport Harbor Coach Jason

Sorrell said. “We play good in spurts. If we can play 80 minutes the way

we can play, then we can beat teams.”

The Sailors (6-3-2) began the game with the advantage as they

controlled the flow and outshot the Monarchs (6-6-3), 10-2, in the first

half.

In the 11th minute, Harbor senior Laura Kauth benefited from the Tars’

attack. She scored with a quick kick into the left side of the net.

Mater Dei did not threaten until the last 15 minutes of the half. Even

then senior Amy Burlingham, junior Amber Taylor and junior Amy Ross were

there to deny any Monarch scoring chance.

“We need to play the whole game,” Burlingham said. “We only play

through parts of it.”

At halftime, Mater Dei Coach Austin Sharp questioned his players,

asking them if they wanted to win. The Monarchs responded with inspired

play in the opening minutes of the second half.

“They came out and pounded on us,” Sorrell said of the first 20

minutes of the second half. “And, we didn’t react to it. They have a lot

of pride. They didn’t want to get beat. I was surprised they didn’t come

out like that in the first half.”

Five minutes into the second half, Mater Dei’s Jessica Gatica scored

off a corner kick from Ashley Bueker. It was the second corner kick for

the Monarchs and they finished with five in the last 40 minutes.

“In the first 20 minutes we did extremely well,” Sorrell said. “In the

last 20 minutes of the first half, we lost what we were doing. We lost

momentum. In the second half it was just totally different.”

Harbor appeared to have no answer for Mater Dei’s revived play. The

Tars tried to find the same intensity they had in the first half.

And, in the final 10 minutes, Harbor found what it needed, but the

Sailors could not score. Yet, the Monarchs almost gave them the game.

An official called a violation on Mater Dei goalie Jena Chaidez

because she took too many steps before her kickoff. Four steps are

required and the official said she took seven.

The penalty led to a free kick for the Sailors, but they were denied.

The official also gave a yellow card to Sharp because he disputed the

call.

On the free kick, junior Tory Manchester’s free kick nearly led to a

goal for Harbor. But, Burlingham’s shot from the kick sailed wide right.

Later, Sailors junior Kristen Nahin threw in a ball that almost led to

another score. Harbor sophomore Taryn Flamson also had a free kick

denied. And, the Sailors could not capitalize on two corner kicks in

those last 10 minutes.

“The last 10 minutes,” Sorrell said. “We had four or five chances on

goal. But, we don’t do that the whole game. We do it in little sections

and that’s hurting us right now.”

Sorrell expects the improvement to come quickly because the Sailors

will host Back Bay rival Corona del Mar, the No. 6 team in Orange County,

Saturday at 5 p.m. The date with the Sea Kings might just be the perfect

incentive for the Tars to maintain intensity.

“We’re all pumped for that game,” Burlingham said. “We’re fired up,

definitely. It should be fun. I just know it’s going to be a big game,

especially at night. The night games are sometimes more physical than

during the day.”