SOCCER ROUNDUP : Edison Puts Away Ocean View in the First Half

After rain washed out all but one practice last week, Edison girls’ soccer Coach Kerry McGrath thought her team would be rusty for Tuesday’s Sunset League showdown with Ocean View.

But the host Chargers, ranked second in Orange County, looked sharp after the layoff and posted a 4-0 victory, handing eighth-ranked Ocean View its first league defeat of the season.

Edison improved to 13-3-1 and 3-0-1 in league, keeping pace with fifth-ranked Marina (9-2-3, 3-0), which defeated Westminster, 5-0. Ocean View is 12-4-1, 3-1.

“Someone up there is looking after us,” McGrath said. “Our team needed the break. We had four or five players who were out sick last week and we needed to get refocused after all the hoopla.”

The hoopla came after Edison won the Excalibur tournament championship Dec. 31 by defeating San Dieguito, the two-time defending San Diego Section Division 3-A champions, in a shootout.

The championship earned the Chargers a No. 1 ranking in Orange County until Fountain Valley surprised Edison with a 2-2 tie on Jan. 9.

Edison looked like a top-ranked team Tuesday, scoring three first-half goals.

Michelle Kaping scored on a header nine minutes into the game to give the Chargers a 1-0 lead. Then Edison blew the game open with back-to-back goals in the game’s 30th minute.

Erin Bailey scored from 15-yards in front, beating Ocean View goalie Lynn Brown with a shot into the upper-right corner.

Thirty seconds later, freshman Shauna Itri worked to an open spot in front of the goal and scored to give the Chargers a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Edison’s Lynne Thiel scored in the final minute of the game on an assist from Shellee Stucker to account for the final score.

Ocean View looked like it might break through with three minutes remaining in the first half. Gina Tocco ran down a pass behind the Edison defense with only goalie Stephanie Hinkey to beat, but her shot missed wide left.

Midway through the second half, Jessica Funke dribbled past three Edison defenders into the penalty area, but trickled her shot just wide right of the goal.

“The game was closer than the score indicates,” McGrath said. “They had some good chances, but the difference was our shots were on today.”