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RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA — Santa Margarita and Mater Dei showed Tuesday why they’re ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in Orange County girls soccer.
Each squad overcame playing against the wind to score a goal in their Trinity League opener at Santa Margarita High.
Overcoming each other, however, was a different story.
Mater Dei goalie Kennedy Briseno made two spectacular, leaping saves in the first half as the No. 2 Monarchs and top-ranked Eagles played to a 1-1 draw in regulation.
Mater Dei’s Valentina Labuschagne knotted the score with a goal off a throw-in into the penalty box by freshman midfielder Lucy Mendiola about 13 minutes into the second half. The junior’s fifth goal helped Mater Dei (8-2-4) snap Santa Margarita’s perfect start to the campaign.
The Eagles, the reigning CIF SoCal Regional Division I champion, moved to 10-0-1 overall.
Mater Dei went 1-0-1 against Santa Margarita last season to share the league title with the Eagles.
“Santa Margarita, they bring out the best in us and they are incredibly talented, skillful and great decision makers,” Mater Dei coach Matty West said. “(Our) girls knew the challenge and they accepted and they really competed.”
Briseno showed her desire with a pair of leaping saves in the first half.
In the 17th minute, the Chico State commit soared to deflect a long shot from the left wing by Emily Davey that appeared headed for the net.
Moments later, the 5-foot-8 senior leaped to block a shot from forward Jastel David just outside the top of the penalty box. The sprawling save prevented another shot that looked headed for the net.
“Kennedy played exceptional,” West said of Briseno, who dueled against Santa Margarita goalie and North Carolina commit Peyton Trayer. “I’m so glad she got this moment and made the most of it.”
The two saves loomed significant as Santa Margarita scored in the 30th minute thanks to some fancy dribbling by David. The junior beat a defender on a run into the right side of the penalty box and flipped a short cross to freshman Ella Bott for her third goal.
Santa Margarita coach Craig Bull praised the goal but called the tie a “fair” result for his squad.
“Those moments from the goal, we just didn’t do that enough,” Bull said. “We didn’t execute the things that we talked about in practice at all today so that’s the most disappointing part. In the end, a tie was just about fair.”
Mater Dei’s strong play at midfield contributed to the deadlock. The Monarchs featured a formation of at least four midfielders, including Mendiola, speedy freshman Kendra Hansen, junior Jasmine Aguilar and senior Sam Kim. “
That’s our engine,” West said of the midfield.
Santa Margarita also generated scoring chances from Mia Corona, Felicity Nguyen and Cora Fry.
On Thursday, the Eagles play at Orange Lutheran. They will be without Trayer, who departs for a trip to Brazil, Bull said. Mater Dei plays at JSerra on Thursday.
