DIVISION I GIRLS’ SOCCER : Top-Seeded Marina Beats Mater Dei for Another Shot in Final

Marina’s 3-1 victory over Mater Dei in the Southern Section Division I girls’ soccer semifinals Tuesday at Mater Dei High was a perfect example of why the Vikings have a 37-game unbeaten streak.

The Monarchs (20-6-1) threw everything they had at Marina (26-0-1) in the first half and went in at halftime tied, 1-1.

But the top-seeded Vikings--who last lost Jan. 27, 1993, to Edison--never panicked, stuck to their game plan and dominated the second half.

Marcy Crouch and Amy Rubenstein scored second-half goals for Marina, which outshot Mater Dei, 14-1, in the half.

The Vikings advanced to the final to face Palos Verdes Peninsula (23-1-3) at 6 p.m. Friday at Cerritos Gahr High. Marina tied Claremont, 1-1, in the Division I title game last season.

“We’ve been waiting about a year for this,” Marina Coach Bobby Bruch said. “After tying for the championship last year, it was like getting teased with just the whipped cream and cherry on the top of a chocolate shake.

“Now that we’re back in the finals, we want to down it all.”

Crouch helped put Marina into the final, scoring on a corner kick in the 55th minute. Crouch hooked her kick into the upper right corner of the net.

“That goal kind of deflated us,” Mater Dei Coach Michelle Myers said. “In the second half, I think the kids started to realize they were getting tired.”

Rubenstein’s goal in the 65th minute gave Marina a 3-1 lead and the Monarchs never threatened in the final 15 minutes.

Marina scored the game’s first goal in the 15th minute on a header by junior Cassie Campbell off a centering pass by Rubenstein. It was Campbell’s 28th goal of the season.

In the 24th minute, Mater Dei’s Teresa Buechler sprinted up the right side and sent a crossing pass to the middle of the penalty area where Sara Stratton knocked the ball past Marina goalie Jennifer Simmons for a 1-1 tie.

Stratton got another great scoring chance in the final minute of the half, but Simmons denied her making a leaping save on a shot from the top of the penalty area.