CIF Title Not in the Cards for Wilson Girls Soccer

Despite missing one of their top players, the Long Beach Wilson High girls soccer team fought hard for their second CIF-SS championship in three years.

But two set plays proved to be too much to overcome as the Buena Bulldogs handed the Bruins a 2-0 loss in the Division 2 title game on Saturday at Warren High in Downey.

A free kick from about 40 yards out on the right was headed in from the far side by Buena’s senior midfielder Riley Ridgik in the 9th minute of the game and it proved to be the game winner. Ridgik also scored the Bulldogs’ second goal in the 34th minute off a corner kick with a nearly identical header shot.

“She’s good in the air and she punished us twice,” Bruins coach Jason Kirkwood said of Ridgik.

The Bruins were without senior midfielder Kimberly Marshall who had to sit out the game because of two yellow cards in the Bruins’ semifinal win. Things didn’t get any better for the Bruins without Marshall as Kirkwood received two yellow cards and was ejected late in the second half on Saturday.

“Asking them to protect our players was the reason I got yellow carded both times,” Kirkwood said.

Still the Bruins came out fighting in the second half after falling behind 2-0 in the first half. They began to get some pressure on the Bulldogs’ defense in the second half and had a header attempt on goal go just wide. In the 52nd minute the Bruins got a decent shot attempt by Raeline Gonzalez from about 20 yards out, but it sailed wide right.

A few minutes later Bruin junior forward Sydney Wells also had a solid shot from the top of the goal box but it hit a defender in front of the goal and was deflected back out. In the 62nd minute the Bruins had a free kick from 25 yards on the left that was headed through traffic in front of the goal but was scooped up by the goal keeper.

In the 73rd minute, Bruin senior Renee Mendiola got free up the right side, for a shot from the angle, but it was saved by the goal keeper. The Bruins also made some big defensive stops to keep the game close. Goalie Breegan Sailer made two charging stops on breakaway shots from Buena. Junior defender Deanna Empleo also ran down an attacker to prevent another breakaway attempt.

“The girls played with all the heart they had and did everything they could. It just wasn’t in the cards today,” Kirkwood said.

The Bruins had struggled through some growing pains early in the season as they were just 6-5-3 after the preseason, but they began to turn things around when league play started. The Bruins went unbeaten in winning the league title and proceeded to win three close playoff games en route to the title game.

“We definitely had to go through a learning curve … the last six weeks or so the girls have really shown some growth,” Kirkwood said.

In 2008, the Bruins were co-champions in CIF-SS Division I after playing San Clemente to a 1-1 tie in the title game.