Girls’ Soccer: Estancia takes over first in league

SANTA ANA — Freshman Lexina McDowell and sophomore Bryanna Perez were both question marks for the Estancia High girls’ soccer team headed into Thursday’s crucial Orange Coast League game against Calvary Chapel.

McDowell has been dealing with a back injury, so Coach Jessica Perry wasn’t sure if she could go the whole game. Perez has been in and out of the deep Eagles’ rotation.

Perry used both of the underclassman forwards in the second half of the game at Centennial Regional Park. The move paid off.

McDowell and Perez both scored as Estancia hung on for a 2-1 win, leaping over Calvary Chapel for the league lead with four games left to play.

Estancia (15-2-3, 4-0-2 in league), looking for its fourth league title in Perry’s seven-year tenure, now controls its own destiny after topping Calvary Chapel (14-4-2, 4-1-1) in the battle of the teams nicknamed the Eagles. Estancia now has 14 points in league, while Calvary Chapel has 13.

Perry said she believed her team could get the job done, even after battling Calvary Chapel to a scoreless tie in the teams’ league opener Jan. 13 at Jim Scott Stadium.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park by any means, but the energy was good,” she said. “The girls were focused in warm-ups, they were quiet in the bus on the way here. When we got here, they got right to business; there wasn’t a lot of chitter-chatter. They were on a mission today, so it was great. I knew we were going to pull something off ... I just had a gut feeling that it was going to work out. It was stressful, though.”

Estancia, ranked No. 6 in CIF Southern Section Division 5, controlled the scoring chances in the first half against No. 4-ranked Calvary Chapel. Estancia, using solid play from Emily Rodriguez, Olivia Khoury and Brandi White among others, racked up four corner kicks. But Estancia was unable to score on a stout Calvary Chapel defense, which came into the game with no goals allowed in league.

The game was physical, with the referees warning the Estancia fans multiple times to stop arguing with the calls.

Senior forward Alondra Guzman clanked the right post with her shot off Karla Rodriguez’s cross in the 18th minute. Later in the half, senior co-captain Alba Barrios came the closest to scoring, getting open in front of the net before Calvary’s sophomore standout goalie Gabi Haw (nine saves) rushed out to make the stop.

“Don’t worry about it,” Barrios’ father, Carlos, told her from the stands. “Just keep working hard. It’s coming.”

It did come eventually, in the 46th minute. Alba Barrios gained control of a ball on the Estancia sideline before playing it across perfectly to McDowell, whose shot from near the top of the box went past the charging Haw and into the upper left corner of the net.

“I didn’t even know I scored, really,” said McDowell, who scored for the second straight game. “I just kind of kicked and hoped that the ball would be there.”

Calvary Chapel battled back. The hosts evened the score in the 58th minute. Estancia senior keeper Caitlin Leahy (six saves) came off her line to block Michelle Stevens’ initial shot, but Calvary junior midfielder Carolyne Marquez was there to stick in the rebound goal.

But Estancia did not get down on itself.

“We had nothing else to lose,” Barrios said. “We were up, and then we were the same again. We fought so hard for the first one, so we just had to dig deep and fight for the second one. Like I’ve said before, I looked up and saw everyone’s faces. We were all [ticked] off and we were just ready to get it back. That’s what I love about every single player on this team.”

Perez’s goal just two minutes later, from the left side of the box, was controversial at first. Initially, the referee on the other side ruled the ball had gone wide left of the goal, giving it back to Calvary Chapel for a goal kick. But Calvary Chapel Coach Scott Larsen realized the ball had gone in and through the net, alerting the referees.

“I saw it,” Perez said. “I hit it with my left foot, and it went into the left corner. The ref didn’t agree, and everyone was just yelling. But I knew it was in. It was nice for the [Calvary Chapel] coach [to tell the referee]. He knew what was right.”

Estancia was able to hang on for the victory, using solid defense from Samantha Falasco, Sarah Leahy and Katarina Frieberger, as well as Delani Guyot in a defensive midfield role.

“They control their destiny now,” said Larsen, whose team gave up more than one goal for just the second time this season. “They win out, they win. We know that. But it’s a tough league, and these girls are young and are going to have good days and bad days. Anything can happen, but we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

So does Estancia, which has a difficult week next week. The Eagles play at third-place Laguna Beach — always a tough and physical game — on Tuesday before traveling to Costa Mesa on Thursday.

Perry said the game against the Mustangs, a designated home game for Costa Mesa, will be at the Mustangs’ grass field for the first time in years. Usually, both of the Battle for the Bell games are at Jim Scott Stadium, but Perry said Costa Mesa is trying to use its home-field advantage.

“They line [the field] to the smallest possible size,” she said. “They’re using home-field advantage, as much as possible. So this [league title] is by no means locked in. We have a long way to go, but this puts us in a much better place.”