CdM takes control

CORONA DEL MAR — This week, the Corona del Mar High girls’ soccer team has a “game in hand” over the rest of the Pacific Coast League.

But on Tuesday, what the Sea Kings needed was a ball in net.

They got two of them in the second half, one each by sophomore Tessa Andujar and freshman Sydney Raguse. It was enough to rally past visiting University, 2-1, avenging their only league loss.

The game also had league title implications, although University (6-2-5, 4-1-1 in league) stays in first for now. The Trojans have nine points in league, since CdM Coach Bryan Middleton said two points are awarded for a win and one for a tie. CdM (9-3-6, 4-1) has eight points.

But CdM also has the game in hand because the Sea Kings have three league games remaining, while the Trojans have just two. And if the Sea Kings can defeat Irvine, Beckman and Laguna Hills to finish up, the Pacific Coast League title will be theirs.

CdM earned the chance by coming out gangbusters in the second half Tuesday. The Sea Kings had plenty of chances in the first half, too, but a shot by Andujar hit off the left post and a free kick by junior sweeper Lauren Smits found the crossbar.

Uni made the most of its first-half chances, when Sarah Forthal put away the ball on a cross from senior Tiana Kallenberger. Middleton, though, knew his team could still strike after the break.

“We had so many goal-scoring opportunities the first 20 minutes,” he said. “I just said, ‘We can score on them. We can put two or three goals away on them. You just have the determination and desire that you want to win this game today.’ ”

Andujar struck in the 44th minute after a cross from fellow junior Katie Devarian. It was the first of two assists for Devarian.

“Katie Devarian was probably the woman of the match,” Middleton said. “She was flying 100 miles an hour. She worked so hard, she had to come off the field.”

Seven minutes later, Raguse found the back of the net after a corner kick.

A University defender tried to head the ball out of the goal area, but it went right to the feet of Raguse, who knew what to do with it.

“We knew [a second-half surge from CdM] was coming,” University Coach Martin Stibolt said. “We didn’t respond strongly enough ... I think we kind of lapsed a little bit [from] the way that we were playing early on in the season. If we had continued to play our possession and passing game, it could have been a different story. But [CdM] put up a good match. They played well, too.”

The Sea Kings kept the Trojans off the scoreboard the rest of the way, thanks to stellar defense from Smits, Kaylee O’Connor, Raguse, Brahs and Scarlett Fallon. Goalie Lindsey Luke also made a leaping save in front of Uni’s Macy Usher just before the game ended.

Middleton said the team really benefited from the presence of Smits, a first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division II stopper a year ago who was out when Uni won the teams’ first meeting.