Girls soccer: Mesa comes back, 2-1

Steve Virgen

LAGUNA BEACH - Costa Mesa High Coach Dan Johnston’s two words aptly

described his girls soccer team’s 2-1 come-from-behind win over Pacific

Coast League host Laguna Beach Thursday night.

“Great heart! Great Heart,” Johnston told his players moments after

sophomore Stacy Krikorian scored the game-winning goal with 35 seconds

left.

The Mustangs (12-5-4, 5-2-3 in league) finished tied for second in the

PCL and knocked the Artists (6-8-6, 3-4-3) out of playoff contention.

Mesa is tied with University, which was swept by the Mustangs this

season.

“I’m very proud of them,” said Johnston, who made frequent

substitutions throughout the game, including Krikorian. “That’s the

nicest thing about this team. I have so many mix and match players and

when they get in there they can make an impact. In that regard this is

one of my best Mesa teams.”

Krikorian’s goal came from a corner kick by senior Lisa Dunn. Junior

Sharon Day, who completed a dazzling performance, set up the corner kick

with a shot on goal.

Dunn also booted a corner kick that set up junior Kristen Bagwell’s

goal in the 51st minute. A shot by Day led to that corner kick as well.

Bagwell also scored in the 1-1 tie with Laguna Beach in the first round

of PCL.

“We score on it so much in practice,” Dunn said of the corner kick

plays. “It’s nice to know we can do it in a game. This has been a very

good season for us. We know we can rise to our opponents.”

Cost Mesa trailed, 1-0, less than three minutes in, when Laguna Beach

scored on a corner kick play.

However, the Mustangs held the Artists scoreless the rest of the way

thanks to sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Gentling (seven saves), junior

sweeper Devin Denman, senior Natalee Schoetler, senior Sarah Ronquillo

and freshman Nilani Duarte. Sophomores Rachel Hughes and Julie Nomura and

freshman Rachel Ronquillo were key substitutes throughout the game and

contributed greatly in the winning effort.