GIRLS’ SOCCER ROUNDUP : Top-Ranked Marina Handles No. 2 Edison

It’s not easy being No. 1. Just ask Bobby Bruch, girls’ soccer coach at Marina High.

“Right now everyone is gunning for us, so we have to be prepared for every game,” Bruch said. “We don’t want anyone to sneak back into this thing and take the league title away from us.”

But after Tuesday’s 1-0 victory over No. 2 Edison at Marina, the top-ranked Vikings (22-0-1, 9-0-1) have a tight hold on first place in the Sunset League.

Marina’s goal came with less than 10 minutes remaining, when freshman Megan Orach sailed a kick over Edison goalie Kim James’ head. Orach began putting pressure on James midway through the second half, taking four shots in a five-minute span. One shot went off James’ head and into the goal, but it was nullified because of a dangerous-play penalty.

“I was really trying hard to get around the defenders,” Orach said. “I just kept kicking it and I finally got one to go in.”

Edison (18-4-2, 8-2), which lost to Marina, 2-0, earlier in the season, had a final chance to tie the score with about 10 seconds remaining. But Marina goalie Jennifer Simmons dived to her left to make the save and seal the victory.

“The girls wanted it badly,” Edison Coach Kerry McGrath said. “We played with them the whole game. I had a feeling it would come down to one shot, and they got the golden opportunity.”