San Clemente Girls Win, Tie Mission Viejo Atop South Coast Standings

When Mission Viejo and San Clemente girls soccer teams met Monday night, the Diablos entered the contest with a .167 lead over the Lady Tritons for the coveted South Coast League title. Ninety minutes later, there was no doubt who the better team was, at least on this night.

Top-ranked San Clemente dominated play for all but a 15-minute stretch at the end of the first half and beginning of the second. The aggressive Lady Tritons’ defense didn’t allow a shot on goal until the 46^th minute, while their ball-control offense was clicking on all cylinders. The result was a 3-0 victory over the Diablos on Senior Night at Thalassa Stadium in San Clemente.

The Lady Tritons (14-2-7, 4-0-3 in league) are ranked No. 1 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 coaches' poll and No. 5 in the county by the O.C. Register, just ahead of the Diablos (11-6-1, 4-2-1), who are ranked No. 7 in Division 1 and No. 6 in the county. But in clinching a spot with Mission Viejo atop the league standings, the Lady Tritons showed everyone they are deserving of all their accolades this season.

“San Clemente looked great tonight,” Mission Viejo coach Susie Daher said. “I’ve seen them play quite a few times this year, and that’s the best they’ve looked. They were strong, they were fast and the experience definitely showed. They were very deserving of the win.”

The teams are tied for first with a .571 winning percentage. The Lady Tritons play at 10^th-ranked Aliso Niguel, which tied San Clemente earlier this year, while Mission Viejo closes out the regular season with a home match against Trabuco Hills. Both matches are Wednesday.

It was an emotional farewell for San Clemente's  11 seniors, who received flowers before the match. Ten seniors joined junior goalkeeper Sheridan Hapsic in the Tritons' starting lineup. Once the match had ended, the teammates gathered in a circle and many were crying tears of joy and sadness — for winning the match but also for  knowing that the end is near. In between, however, the Lady Tritons played hard and fast.

San Clemente’s senior-laden offense moved the ball around and began peppering the Mission Viejo defense with shots from all angles, while the defense kept the ball inside the Diablos’ territory. At 19:50, the Lady Tritons finally broke through when junior Alex Gerrain found herself open on the right side and lifted an arching shot over the outstretched arms of Diablos goalkeeper Mikayla Berger for a 1-0 lead.

“I thought we came out so strong with our senior leadership to start the game, and that made all the difference,” San Clemente coach Stacey Finnerty said. “Our defense was very cohesive. Our outside defenders had to be disciplined against their outside players, who are very good, and they did a good job.”

After San Clemente’s goal, the Lady Diablos began winning more of the 50/50 balls, and while their offense attempted a few shots, it failed to get a shot on goal. Finally, freshman Kiana Palacios got off a tricky shot that was saved by Hapsic. But from that point forward, it was the Lady Tritons who picked up their game.

“After that one [goal] we got a little complacent,” Finnerty said. “I felt like we could weather the storm, but I had to kind of kick them in the butt.”

San Clemente made it 2-0 at the 60:15 mark when junior Dani Weatherholt won a scramble in front of the Diablos' left and passed to Frannie Coxe, who was alone on the right side of the net. Coxe’s shot curved into the upper far corner of the goal for her 11^th goal of the season. With 8:30 remaining, junior Janae Cousineau scored her team-leading 14^th goal of the season on a header that went in between several bodies on a throw-in from junior Marlee Carrillo.

The Diablos finished with four more shots on goal, but none of them seriously tested Hapsic, who recorded her 14^th shutout of the season.

“When they got that second and third goal, we had to take a gamble,” Daher said.

San Clemente finished with 15 shot attempts and nine shots on goal by eight different players. More importantly, since returning from the Red Bull Nolan Showcase in Texas, the Lady Tritons are 3-0-1 and have become a team on a mission.

“Ever since Texas, we came back and we’ve bonded as a team,” Coxe said. “We want to grow every game and take something from every game that will make us a better team. We wanted to win on Senior Night, and even if we didn’t, it would have been OK. But we’re clearly on top now, and this team has proven we belong there.”

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