Seasons came to end this week for Mira Costa’s girls soccer and water polo teams but the Mustangs did not go down without a fight.
In the CIF Southern Section Division 2 quarterfinals on Thursday, Coach Patty Perkinson’s soccer squad lost a heartbreaker losing to second-seeded Santiago/Corona 4-3 on penalty kicks after tying the score 2-2.
Arielle Sheres’ goal gave Mira Costa (19-6-4) a 1-0 lead in the 34th minute but Santiago (21-1-8) answered two minutes later to even the game at halftime.
Santiago pulled ahead in the 69th minute before Mira Costa’s McKenna Doyle tied the game 2-2 in the 75th minute.
Neither team scored in the two overtime periods although Mira Costa had its chances but could not find the net.
Senior goalkeeper Nonie Frishette made 12 saves to keep the Mustangs in the game.
Santiago will host No. 6 Hart (16-3-7) in the semifinals while top-seeded Oaks Christian (18-1) will play at Westlake (13-1-6) on the other side of the bracket. Westlake eliminated Bay League champion Palos Verdes 2-1 in the second round.
In Division 3, Pioneer League champion and fourth-seeded West Torrance (18-4-5) reached the semifinals with a 2-0 shutout at Pacifica/Garden Grove. The Warriors will host top-seeded Brea Olinda (22-2-5) Tuesday at 3 p.m. The victor will face the Cypress-Quarter Hill winner in the finals either Friday or Saturday.
Top seed dunks Mustangs
Fourth-seeded Mira Costa (15-10) could not hold a 4-2 halftime lead, falling to No. 1 Arroyo Grande 7-5 in the CIF-SS Division 3 girls water polo semifinals on Wednesday.
Kelly Giery gave the Mustangs an early 1-0 lead scoring in the first minute of the game but it only took Arroyo Grande 15 seconds to even the score.
Kaylee Brownsberger, Giery and Aminado Anorye scored goals in the second quarter to put Mira Costa up at the half.
Santiago quashed Mira Costa’s offense in the second half behind a stellar performance by goalkeeper Emily Sonny and the Eagles scored five unanswered goals for the win.
Brownsberger added a fourth-quarter goal for the Mustangs.
Arroyo Grande (27-5) will play second-seeded ML King (24-8) for the championship Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine.
For brackets and results visit cifss.org.
