GIRLS’ SOCCER PLAYOFFS : Kilcoyne Helps USDHS Repeat

When asked to name that play, Shelley Kilcoyne hesitated for a moment.

“What is it called?” she said. “Well, No. 1, I guess.”

How appropriate.

It was the goal that padded USDHS’s one-goal lead against La Jolla and proved enough for the top-seeded Dons to take a 2-0 girls’ soccer victory Wednesday at Torrey Pines.

It was the Dons’ second San Diego Section Division III title in a row after three consecutive years as a runners-up.

Kilcoyne, a junior forward, scored the winning goal in the first half and assisted on the insurance goal by Erin Ippolito at 34:50 in the second. She wasn’t around for all of the Dons’ second-best efforts, but she was on hand for last year’s championship, and this one meant twice as much.

“We wanted it a lot more than last year,” she said. “We played harder, and I was more a part of it.”

Kilcoyne was involved in several of the Dons’ 15 shots on goal and was a key player on the ones that counted.

On the go-ahead goal at 9:55, Kilcoyne took a crossing pass from Keri O’Leary near the right corner just inside the penalty box and sent it far out of the reach of Vikings goalie Gerri Tallerino.

USDHS (19-4-5) controlled the first half, but La Jolla came out in the second and got its share of possessions, but the Vikings took only two shots.

Amanda Salas came closest to scoring for La Jolla (14-5-1), but Tallerino made a lunging save.

All the while, USDHS Coach Butch Lee wasn’t comfortable with the 1-0 lead.

“Not against a team like La Jolla,” Lee said. “They’re talented. It’s not enough. I like to get three, then I can relax.”

Ippolito, off a corner kick by Kilcoyne, quelled his fears when she headed in the pass perfectly over Tallerino’s head. The No. 1 play.

“We’ve practiced it a lot. It pulled us through,” said Kilcoyne, who added that this game was much more intense then in the team’s previously two meetings.

La Jolla and USDHS, co-champions of the Western League, had split their meetings during the league season, the Vikings winning, 4-1, and USDHS, 2-1.

Salas said USDHS is a passing and possession team, in contrast to La Jolla’s power game.

“They’ve more polished,” Salas said. “They’ve really developed that passing game.”

Division IV

Bishop’s 6, Christian 0--Carmel Murphy’s four goals and one assist led top-seeded Bishop’s (18-4) to an easy victory at San Pasqual High. Second-seeded Christian finished at 9-10-2.