Boys’ 4-A Soccer Playoffs : Third Loss to Palos Verdes by 2-0 Count Deals Marina Knockout Blow

For the third time this season, the Marina High School boys’ soccer team lost to Palos Verdes by the score of 2-0.

This time, it hurt a little more.

The other losses to Palos Verdes came during nonleague play, but this loss, at Marina Friday, was in the Southern Section 4-A quarterfinals.

Marina finished the season with a 15-8-2 record; Palos Verdes is 24-2-2.

“It’s been a tremendous season,” Marina Coach Dave McLeish said. “And they played their hearts out today.”

Both Palos Verdes scores were in the second half of the aggressive, hard-hitting game.

Midway through the second half, forward Paul Kaemmerer chipped the ball to teammate Pete Malishka, about 20 yards outside Marina’s goal. Goalie Dave Buehring challenged Malishka but fell, and Malishka kicked the ball past him for the first score.

Malishka, the leading scorer on Palos Verdes’ junior varsity this season, was playing in his second varsity game, taking the place of left wing Doug Kay, who missed the game because of a red card penalty.

Through most of the game, Marina effectively used its defense, relying on Mike Lapper to get the ball back to midfield, setting it up and working it in to Darrin Fishman, the team’s primary offensive threat.

But with 10 minutes to play, the strategy backfired. Lapper, with Palos Verdes’ Jeff Callahan challenging, knocked the ball back to goalie Buehring, but a little too slowly. Callahan gained control before Buehring could, and eased it into the net for the final score.

Palos Verdes goalie Graham Harrison, one of only four senior starters, had six saves in the second half.

“It was our mistakes and their pressure,” McLeish said. “But I thought we played much better than before.”

Palos Verdes will face Marmonte League champion Royal, which defeated Alta Loma, 4-3, Thursday, in Tuesday’s 4-A semifinals. It will be 9th time in 16 seasons that Palos Verdes has advanced to the semifinals.

Fountain Valley 0, Simi Valley 0 (Fountain Valley advances on penalty kicks, 4-2)--Tim Morenc made 10 saves, including two on penalty kicks, to lead Fountain Valley at Simi Valley. Derek Mahoney, Joe Killy, Kyle James and Peter Staffa scored penalty kicks for Fountain Valley (16-5-4). Richie Rungeitis and Craig Hampton scored for Simi Valley. Goalie John Petritz had 12 saves for Simi Valley (18-7-2).