Palos Verdes girls open Bay competition with shutout win
REDONDO BEACH >> Kate Ryan is fulfilling her duties as a forward for the Palos Verdes soccer team.
“She's like an old-school striker,” PV coach Joe Flanagan said of the sophomore. “She's been putting the ball in the back of the net. She's been a dangerous player. She's not only athletic, but she's always hunting for goals.
“She's always looking to see where she can score and always looking for those dangerous opportunities.”
Ryan found the goal in the second half for Palos Verdes (8-1-1, 1-0) in Friday's Bay League opener against Redondo.
First, she was inside the penalty area, awarding PV a penalty kick. Ryan stepped up and deposited the ball into the left corner for what proved to be the winning goal in the Sea Kings' 1-0 win over Redondo.
“My teammate Mia Yang played it over the top to me and I got swiped under the legs,” Ryan said. “It's a very big win for us. This is my second year with PV and we hadn't beat them yet, so this is a really big win.”
The game was the first for both teams after the winter break.
In the first half, both teams had chances to breakthrough. Redondo's Amanda Goldstein lined up a free kick just yards outside of the penalty area, but her shot hit the crossbar.
One of PV's best chances came early in the second half with Finlee Mills, standing approximately the same distance from goal as Goldstein. Mills' free kick was heading toward the upper corner of the goal, but Redondo's goalkeeper Sophie Smelich.
“It was an even game for the most part,” Flanagan said. “I thought we had a couple of good chances, their keeper made a great save off that free kick, they hit the crossbar, I thought it was a well-played game.
“Redondo has been the top team over the last 2-3 years, so coming here in our first match is a great result for us.”
Redondo (9-1, 0-1) entered the game having scored 47 goals and allowed just five this season. That high-scoring offense was never able to get on track against the Sea Kings.
“I think we struggled with getting some continuity and chemistry together as if we hadn't played in awhile,” Redondo coach Shelly Marsden said. “I felt like in the first half, we were playing very slow and by the end of the first half, I thought we were playing really quick with good team chemistry and then we kind of lost it a little bit in the second half as we became fatigued.”
Next week will be busy for both teams with three games. Redondo will be on the road Monday at Culver
City, Wednesday at Santa Monica and home Friday with Peninsula.
PV will be at Santa Monica (Monday) and home against Mira Costa (Wednesday) and Culver City (Friday).
Redondo and PV will meet again Jan. 19 at Palos Verdes.
In another Bay League girls game
MIRA COSTA 1, CULVER CITY 0 >> Kate Grzesek scored for the Mustangs (8-0-2, 1-0) in the overtime home win over the Centaurs.
In a Bay League boys game
PALOS VERDES 4, REDONDO 2>> The Sea Kings (6-6, 1-0) scored three secondhalf goals to record the win against the Sea Hawks (6-41, 0-1).
Peter Chang and Oliver Knotek each had a goal and an assist.