When Mira Costa and Redondo meet on the soccer field, both boys and girls teams know they will be in for a battle with more than bragging rights on the line.
The girls matchup will be the most intriguing. Both teams enter the week ranked in the top ten of the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 poll.
Ranked No. 1, Redondo (15-2-2) continued league action Tuesday with a home game and escaped with a 1-1 tie with Peninsula. Sam Encarnado tied the score for the Sea Hawks scoring in the 70th minute.
Coach Shelly Marsden’s Sea Hawks play a critical road game at Palos Verdes Friday with the victor taking sole possession of first place.
It will be a stiff challenge for Redondo as Palos Verdes is coming off a key win against Mira Costa.
Mira Costa (9-2-1) is ranked No. 10 in Division 2. After a road game with Morningside on Friday, the Mustangs will host Redondo Wednesday. All games are slated to start at 3 p.m.
“Soccer can be very tough to get results because you can win the possession game and outshoot your opponent with quality opportunities and yet still lose the game,” Marsden said. “My team is really looking forward to the challenge…our defense has proved very well organized and our offense has a lot of team chemistry. But when we face both Mira Costa and Palos Verdes we will be looking at an opponent who is also very talented with several impact players. Because we haven’t faced either opponent so far this year, we will need to quickly figure out their strategies and neutralize their goal scorers. It will come down to who finishes their chances and who makes the least errors.”
Coach Patty Perkinson’s Mira Costa squad is trying to stay in the hunt for the Bay League crown and hopes to rebound from a tough 3-1 loss at Palos Verdes last Friday.
The Mustangs held a 1-0 lead at halftime after Delaney Whittet scored off a pass from Viviana Villacorte but Palos Verdes’ adjustments at halftime worked.
The Sea Kings scored three goals in the final 20 minutes of the game to improve their overall record at 10-3-2 and 2-0 in the Bay League.
The boys soccer teams from Mira Costa and Redondo will clash Tuesday in a 3 p.m. contest at Mira Costa.
Mira Costa (7-3-2) defeated Inglewood 2-1 on Tuesday rebounding after a 3-0 loss at Palos Verdes (No. 6, Division 1) on Friday.
Trevor Taub and Coleman Weaver scored goals in the Mustang’s victory.
The Mustangs will take on Morningside Friday at 3 p.m. leading up to next Tuesday’s showdown with Redondo.
Mira Costa head coach said her has received strong play from captain and defensive lead Brady Douglas, seniors Max Taylor, Koa Work, Taub and Weaver along with junior midfield Tanner Hong.
“There is a good chance we will have the same league record as Redondo when we play the Sea Hawks for the first time, so the result will be very significant in the league standings at the halfway point,” Mira Costa coach Gary Smith said. “Our games against each other are always very competitive so that’s what I expect again. As long as our players are healthy, then I must say that I like our chances.”
Redondo (8-7-2) lost to Peninsula 2-1 on Tuesday.and Sea Hawk head coach Nacho Lopez hopes his team will get back in the playoff hunt with a win against Mira Costa.
| “We expect a very high intensity game, full pressure all over the field.” Lopez said. “The speed of play will be fast and teams will counter attack with speed and physicality with few opportunities to score.”
Lopez feels a win against its rival will give his team a moral boost.. “I think that we need to keep possession of the ball and create our opportunities and capitalize.” Lopez said. “A win will rock our confidence really high and have a psychological impact to keep us in the right path for the race to Bay League title.” |
