Ocean View Soccer Tournament : Foudy Helps Mission Viejo Girls Reach Final

It remains to be seen what it will take to stop the Mission Viejo High School girls’ soccer team.

The Diablos (9-0) have not met with defeat since January 1986 and currently enjoy a streak of 78 consecutive games without a loss--a national record.

So what’s an opponent to do?

“You gotta shut down the Foud,” said Dana Hills Coach Chuck Hoover, referring to Diablo midfielder Julie Foudy, the Southern Section player of the year last season.

Hoover’s comments are well-taken, especially Wednesday, after his team received another example of Foudy’s abilities.

Foudy scored both her team’s goals in leading Mission Viejo to a 2-0 victory over Dana Hills in a semifinal game of the Ocean View girls’ soccer tournament at Ocean View High School.

The victory moves Mission Viejo, the Southern Section’s top-ranked 4-A team, into today’s 1 p.m. final against Mater Dei.

Foudy’s importance to Mission Viejo? It could hardly be questioned Wednesday. The Diablos, suffering an unusual flat spell, seemed to be playing at half their usual intensity.

Dana Hills, which beat Corona del Mar, 4-3, on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie in regulation to advance to the semifinals, played at full force, challenging Mission Viejo at both ends of the field.

After the first half, in which Mission Viejo led, 1-0, Diablo Coach Jim Dutton scolded his players for a lackluster effort.

“I thought we played horrible,” Dutton said after the match. “We weren’t playing smart, and that’s what we usually do. We weren’t chasing balls, we were hesitant . . . “

Mission Viejo, which advanced to the semifinal after a 3-1 quarterfinal victory over Los Alamitos Wednesday morning, will meet Mater Dei today in a repeat of last year’s final game. Mission Viejo won that game, 2-0.

In the other semifinal game:

Mater Dei 0, Simi Valley 0 (Mater Dei advances on penalty kicks)--Mater Dei survived a tough defensive battle with Simi Valley (11-2).

In the shootout, Tina Manfre’s left-footed hook proved to be the winning shot for a 3-2 penalty-kick victory.

Goalie Michelle Lodya had 10 saves for Mater Dei (9-2-1).

In its Wednesday morning quarterfinal, Mater Dei defeated Ocean View, 2-1, with goals by Diana Awadallah and Carla Cichocki.

Simi Valley had advanced to the semifinals with a 3-2 victory over Capistrano Valley earlier in the quarterfinals.