Marquez scores OT winner as La Mirada advances
La Mirada’s Marissa Marquez (20) heads the ball against Palos Verdes in their Division two CIF girls soccer playoff game at John Glenn High School in Norwalk on Wednesday. La Mirada defeated Palos Verdes, 1-0, in overtime. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
NORWALK – With just seconds left in the first overtime, La Mirada High School senior defender Marissa Marquez scored the only goal for the Matadores for a thrilling 1-0 win over Palos Verdes Wednesday in a CIF-Southern Section Division 2 first round game at John Glenn High School in Norwalk.
After sophomore forward Cassandra Villanueva was fouled, the sharp-shooting Marquez took a long direct kick and lofted it just over the Palos Verde goal keeper and into the net for the game winner and a trip to the second round.
The undefeated and nearly un-scored upon Matadores (12-0-2) for the season, will visit Mission Viejo (5-4-5), a 2-1 overtime winner over Paloma Valley, today (Friday May 14) in a second round game.
“It was very emotional and hard game and good opponent, but scoring the goal really settled it down and now we got it and we’re going to go far,” said Marquez, of only her second goal of the season. “There was a lot of back and forth and it was a very rough game.
“We usually take a lot of those kicks in practice and we got it in.”
Adding to the confusion in front of the goal as the ball went in the net, senior midfielder Caitlyn Hickman (5 G, 8 A in season) raced right in front of the net to distract the keeper, readying her for a possible rebound shot if needed.
“The goal keeper was scared of Caitlyn and that really helped us out,” Marquez added. “She really distracted her. You can go into the box, but you just can’t touch (the keeper).
This is our senior year and we want to finish strong. We have a long way to go.”
La Mirada goalie Sage Strohman grabs a shot on goal as they play Palos Verdes in their Division two CIF girls soccer playoff game on Wednesday. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
La Mirada is used to the deep playoff runs lately, as they have been to five of the last six CIF State playoffs appearances. Last year the Matadores made it to the State Championship in Division II but lost to Oak Hills, 2-0.
In addition, La Mirada won back-to-back CIF-Southern Section titles in 2015-16 and were CIF Co-Champs in 2008 with Mayfair
“The first round is always a dog fight,” La Mirada Girls Soccer coach Dave Christensen said. “You’re talking soccer, where it’s real competitive and you’re now playing outside your league and the fourth-place team can be really tough.
“(Palos Verdes) was aggressive and they came to play and we were very fortunate to come out with a win. I’m thrilled with our defensive effort and I’m always a believer that defense wins championships.”
Although Palos Verdes (7-7) was only a fourth-place team in the tough Bay League with Redondo Union and Mira Costa with a combined 22 wins between them, they came to play and gave it their all against No. 4 seed La Mirada.
“Success breeds success,” said Christensen, of the highly successful La Mirada program. “Our strongest attribute is ‘why not us’. To compliment my kids, they rise to the occasion.”
Rising to the occasion was the speedy Villanueva, who was in constant motion on the left side of the field for the Matadores.
She was fouled multiple times in the game and set her teammates up on several occasions, but the final foul against her was the difference in the game.
“I try to score but if anybody else is in better position I try to find them,” Villanueva said. “That goal was probably our best opportunity of the game. Defensively they were very strong and it was hard for me. I think I got one or two crosses the whole game and one or two shots in the game.
Setting up the final play of the game saw Villanueva with the ball on a run.
“I got the ball and started dribbling with it and then I cut it the other way and then she kicked me from behind,” said Villanueva, of the Sea Kings defender.
“The game was a little nerve-wracking because we went into overtime. If we don’t win overtime we have to go into PK’s (penalty kicks) and that’s the worst nervousness.”
Villanueva was the second leading scorer on the team this season with 10 goals and nine assists. Leading the team was junior forward Amarissa Alvizo with 13 goals and two assists.
This was Villanueva’s first year on varsity, as the sophomore played on an academy team last year and was convinced by fellow sophomore teammate Mikayla Gonzalez to play high school soccer this season.
“My teammate (academy team) Mikayla left my team to play high school and convinced me to play with her (on the high school team,” Villanueva added.
Gonzalez, who had four goals during the season, is “a very strong defender,” said Christensen.
Palos Verdes seemed to control parts of the first half of play, but never really had any good opportunities for shots on goal.
Hickman, who was very active and physical for the Matadores in the game, knocked the ball out of bounds after a throw in by PV. They came right back after a corner kick, but Izabel Garcia (3 G, 7 A in season) also knocked the ball out.
After another great defensive play by Hickman late in the first half, she was knocked down hard by PV midfielder Toni Hagan, who received the games’ only yellow card. After a few minutes, Hickman and the game continued.
The second half was a better half, offensively, for La Mirada, as they had a couple of opportunities in the first ten minutes.
In the 51st minute, senior defender Emma Viayra (1 G, 1 A in season) took a long direct shot on goal, but it was right to the keeper for an easy stop.
A few minutes later, senior midfielder Ryley Candelario took a pass from a defender and passed the ball to Villanueva, who then returned the ball to Candelario with a fancy backward pass that raised a few cheers from the partisan La Mirada crowd.
Candelario took a long shot on goal, but was grabbed by Sea Kings goal keeper Sophia Rodriguez.
Perhaps the glue to the whole team was West Point-bound senior goal keeper Sage Strohman, who allowed only one goal the whole season for the Matadores.
“I’m very excited,” said Strohman, of her appointment to the Academy. “The community there is just amazing. “Obviously it’s a very hard place to go to school and not only do you have the academics, but then you have the physical aspect and I’ll be playing soccer there. I decided in my junior year that I was going (to West Point).”
As for the game, Strohman didn’t have any tough stops, easily making the limited shots by Palos Verdes.
“We had only one goal against us this year and the defense definitely has been the staple of our team,” she said. “They had a couple of opportunities and one I had to dive for, but I had no challenging saves. Defensively, (La Mirada) just snuffed everything out before it got to me. That’s how we’ve been all year.”
Strohman talked highly of her two sophomore defenders, Gonzalez (4 G, A in season) and Anya Alonzo, in front of her on the field.
“(Gonzalez) came in last year as a freshman and played talented minutes for us and she is a complete stud,” Strohman said. “She will line up with the best forward on the other team and just shut her down.
“Our left back Anya is very talented and when she goes in for a tackle, she’s going to win it. There was a few big tackles in front of me and she made them.”
One shot by Palos Verde forward Talia Blair was a long, lofty shot from the corner that bounced off the top of the football cross bar, which was directly above the top of the soccer cross bar.
“I was looking directly in the sun and couldn’t see it very well,” Strohman said. “It hit right on top and it was very close and it was a scary moment there, but it was good.”
Christensen was very complimentary of his four-year goal keeper, who has a 4.3 GPA.
“She has been our starting goal keeper for four years,” he said. “She is phenomenal. “I’ve never had a female player go to one of the academies. Sage would be my pick of all of my past players to attend an Academy. She’s certainly a standout.”
“I’m thrilled for the kids and it’d be nice to cap it off with a nice run in the playoffs,” said Christensen, of the post season ahead.”
La Mirada Athletic Director Christine Mead, who was at the first round game at John Glenn, said of the boys’ and girls’ programs:
“La Mirada’s soccer programs are really flourishing,” she said. “Both the boys and girls programs have some amazing athletes and coaches. “With all of the setbacks and disappointments of this year, it is absolutely beautiful to watch these athletes do what they love.
“The smiles, laughter and excitement is truly music to my ears. I am so happy both programs won league and are able to host first round games. Congrats to the ladies on an exciting win against Palos Verdes.”