Boys’ 3-A Soccer Playoffs : Shootout Spells End for Diablos

El Segundo High School goalkeeper Drew Sherill made a diving save of Sean Foster’s penalty kick during a shootout Friday to preserve a victory over Mission Viejo in the Southern Section 3-A boys’ soccer quarterfinals Friday at Mission Viejo.

Sherill’s save, on the Diablos’ fifth and final kick, came after Chris Ashelford gave El Segundo (18-2) the lead by driving a low kick past Diablo goalie Don Jorgensen. The teams had traded goals in the first four shots of the shootout before Ashelford’s goal and Sherill’s save.

The score was tied, 1-1, after regulation and two overtime periods. Had Foster made the penalty kick, the teams would have kept exchanging penalty kicks until one team emerged on top.

El Segundo will play Diamond Bar in the semifinals Tuesday.

“It’s a terrible way for a team to win and a terrible way for a team to lose,” Mission Viejo Coach Cal Foster said. “I thought we had a shot at them tonight. I didn’t believe that they were better than us, but they were just luckier than we were.”

Mission Viejo (17-5-4) took a 1-0 lead with nine minutes gone in the first half when Jeff Jurgemeyer took a pass from Andy Wortrich deep in the Eagle penalty area and scored past Sherill.

El Segundo tied the score with three minutes gone in the second half when Mike Meza headed in a free kick. The free kick and subsequent goal were set up when El Segundo’s John McClain was fouled by Jeff Gagnon as McClain attempted to control the ball deep in the Mission Viejo zone.

Both teams had opportunities to win at the end of the regulation. Mission Viejo’s Greg Morales, who saw Sherill make a diving save of his hard shot during the first half, had two more of his kicks stopped by the Sherill in the second half.

El Segundo’s best chance to get ahead in the second half came with 25 minutes gone when the Eagles were awarded an indirect free kick from deep in the Diablo penalty area. But the threat was ended when El Segundo’s Ed Bahny kicked the ball high over the crossbar.