Girls Soccer: Tologs Topple Titans to Advance to Semifinal Game

The Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy soccer team defeated Tesoro of Rancho Santa Margarita 3-1 in Thursday’s CIF-Southern Section Division I quarterfinal game. Tesoro’s Cailey Starck scored a game-tying goal in the 48^th minute, but the Tologs came right back with a goal in the 51^st minute by Breeana Koemans that proved to be the game winner.

Esperanza, who beat Mission Viejo 1-0 Thursday, will host FSH on Tuesday in the semifinals.

“This is so amazing,” said an ecstatic Koemans after the game. “Last year we lost in the finals, so we’re going to take advantage and win it all this year.”

Flintridge Sacred Heart goalkeeper Lindsey Espe was tested in the eighth minute when Tesoro’s Jamie Turchi beat a defender and fired a shot from the top of the penalty box that Espe knocked out of bounds with a diving effort.

FSHA jumped ahead in the 24^th minute when a Titan defender tried to clear an attack, but the ball bounced off a Tologs midfielder back behind the Titan defensive line. Katie Johnson ran past Tesoro’s sweeper and, as goalkeeper Ashley Penton advanced, flicked the ball with the outside of her right foot into the goal.

“We knew they had a dangerous center forward (Johnson) and they did a good job of running the offense through her,” Tesoro coach Nick Schofield said.

Tesoro struggled to get any shots in the remainder of the half, but in stoppage time Hanna Loppicolo drew a foul just outside the Tologs’ penalty box. Torey Markowitz took the free kick, and her shot sailed just inches high of the crossbar.

Schofield said the Titans made adjustments to get the midfielders more involved in the offensive attack after halftime, and in the 48^th minute it paid off.

Jessica White stole the ball from a Flintridge Sacred Heart midfielder to create a quick counterattack. White passed down the sideline to Loppicolo who beat a defender and crossed the ball into the penalty box. Starck ran onto the ball and cracked a shot past Espe to tie the game.

Despite the momentum shift FSHA maintained its aggressive play. Johnson received the ball at midfield and faced two oncoming defenders when she made a slick heal pass to Alyssa Conti. Conti made a through pass behind Tesoro’s defensive line and Koemans raced forward to tap the ball past Penton.

“I wasn’t in position to take a real shot so I just toe-poked it and it went in,” said Koemans. “It was huge because they had the momentum and we stole it right back.”

Flintridge Sacred Heart continued to control the game’s tempo following Koemans’ go-ahead goal and in the 65^th minute forced a cornerkick. Lauren Torres’ cross rattled around in the crowded penalty box before squirting out to Sarah Teegarden who kicked a low shot into the right corner of the net.

“When you score an equalizer and then go down again, it’s demoralizing,” said Schofield.

Facing a 3-1 deficit, Tesoro quickly tried to get something going offensively, but Flintridge increased its numbers on defense to stonewall the Titans. Tempers flared in the closing minutes and the Tologs’ Kayla Mills received a yellow card along with Tesoro’s Sofi Sidner.

Yellow cards aside, the game’s underlying controversy was its location. The Titans, who finished second place in the Sea View League, had originally been slated for a home matchup, but they were penalized for failing to provide a CIF sanctioned soccer ball in their previous playoff game.