SCCS GIRLS SOCCER STRUGGLES AT HOME
Prep girls soccer: SCCS falls in second game of threegame series
In the middle of a threegame stretch, Santa Clarita Christian girls soccer fought to stay focused and energized in a 4-0 nonleague loss to Louisville of Woodland Hills on Wednesday afternoon at Central Park.
“You can’t really dwell on what happened because every team is different and I think it just helps us like, even physically get in shape and get ready for playoffs, because that’s our ultimate goal,” said senior Kalona Marr.
Keara Skeries scored first for the Royals in the seventh minute. The Cardinals were able to hold them off, however that lasted until the 38th minute when Olivia Wright notched Louisville’s second goal.
A minute later, SCCS (5-3 overall, 3-1 in Heritage League) had one of its best chances to score on a penalty shot that went low and to
the center before the Royals’ Gisele Halualani made a diving save.
Marr, typically a center mid, made the change to striker to provide the Cards with an aggressive presence in the attacking third.
“I know she plays strong and I didn’t think we were getting a strong enough play up top as I needed,” said coach Matt Gale. “That’s a good, physical team that knows how to use their bodies, so I needed to have someone that’s not afraid to use their body, either.”
Louisville (4-3 overall, 0-1 in Sunshine League) scored again in the 56th minute, courtesy of Cam de Caussin and once more in the 20th minute on a Lily Hedding shot that went to the right post.
SCCS goalkeeper Arianna Sonnenberg had her hands full not only due to the Royals’ relentless attack, but also because it was only her seventh game in goal.
“This was her seventh game in her life,” Gale said. “She just started and we didn’t have a keeper, so she said, ‘I’ll try playing keeper.’ … She’s learning on the job. It’s not an easy thing to do.”
The Cardinals end their three-game endeavor today at SCVi. The game begins at 3:15 p.m.
“I think there’s obviously some things that we need to work on, but I think that these types of games are going to help us in the future and that the pressure is good for us as a team,” said Marr.