SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION I GIRLS’ SOCCER : Simi Valley Stops Edison With 2 Second-Half Goals

Simi Valley ended Edison’s magical ride through the Division I girls’ soccer playoffs Thursday at Edison High School.

Edison, which toppled from the No. 1 spot in the Orange County rankings midway through the season, finishing second in the Sunset League, had gained some respect by defeating Dana Hills in a wild-card playoff game and then crushing Palos Verdes Peninsula in the first round.

Although Edison outshot Simi Valley, 18-7, the Chargers fell, 2-0, to the Pioneers, who were seeded fourth and hadn’t lost to Edison in the last three years.

But the game was closer than the shot differential indicated.

Simi Valley (16-4-1) didn’t score until 27 minutes into the second half, when its leading-scorer Monica Gerardo, a member of the National 17-and-under team, got through Edison’s defense and went one-on-one with Edison goalkeeper Stephanie Hinkey, who had six saves. Gerardo had plenty of time to set up and sent a shot past Hinkey.

The Pioneers added a second goal with two minutes remaining in the game on a penalty kick by Amy Hood. The penalty occurred when Hinkey was out of the box and one of the Edison players touched the ball with her hands in the goal box.

“We played well today,” Edison Coach Kerry McGrath said. “We dominated the first half and we played pretty even the second. They just took advantage of us on a mistake.

“We just didn’t get the breaks. Too many shots were just over the goal post and too many were just off. Those shots need to go in and we couldn’t wish them in.”

Edison (21-6-1) did its best in the closing minutes with shots that just missed. With 10 minutes left, Shellee Stucker came in near Simi Valley’s goal and attempted to kick the ball into a corner of the net. Goalkeeper Jennifer Hahn, who had 15 saves, made a sliding save low to the ground. Teammate Shauna Itri sent a shot with 4:30 remaining that sailed inches over the goalpost.

“That was a close one,” McGrath said. “I thought it was going to go in.”

Edison dominated the first half and then Simi Valley Coach Mark Johnson changed defensive tactics in the second.

“I think with the couple of changes, that gave us a clearing effect,” Johnson said.

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In other Division I games:

Marina 1, Irvine 0--Amy Peterson scored on an assist from Jenny Benson one minute into the second half for Marina (18-4-3). The Vikings advance to Tuesday’s semifinals against El Toro. Jennifer Simmons had nine saves for Marina. Irvine finishes 17-5-2.

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El Toro 3, South Torrance 1--Denis Kenyon, Jenny Fricke and Sherri Kaminski scored for El Toro (19-2-3).