Marina Finishes Undefeated Run : Girls’ soccer: Vikings win second consecutive title with 3-0 victory over Peninsula. Unbeaten streak reaches 39.

Before Marina took the field to defend its Southern Section Division I girls’ soccer title Friday night, Coach Bobby Bruch talked about how good the view is from the top once a team wins it all.

This season the Vikings have been no place else but the top, but after defeating Palos Verdes Peninsula, 3-0, they can finally take a look around.

Playing before 500 at Cerritos Gahr High, top-seeded Marina brought home its second consecutive championship and this time the Vikings can keep it to themselves.

Last season, the Vikings shared the title with Claremont after playing to a 1-1 tie in the championship game.

Marina (28-0-1) entered the season as the top-ranked team in Division I and Orange County and stayed there the entire season.

“This is huge,” Marina Coach Bobby Bruch said. “I don’t think it has sunk in yet.”

The Vikings extended their unbeaten streak to 39 games. They last lost Jan. 27, 1993, to Edison in a Sunset League game.

For the first 10 minutes, Peninsula, which lost to the Vikings, 3-1, earlier this season, appeared to be up for Marina’s challenge, but the last 70 minutes, the Panthers looked more like a team looking for a place to hide.

The pace was fast during the first half with Peninsula getting good scoring opportunities early and Marina pounding away at the Peninsula goal late.

Just before halftime, Marina broke through during a flurry of shots that bounced off player after player before Amy Rubenstein found enough room and put the ball in the net.

“I am so excited right now,” Rubenstein said. “Peninsula came out really aggressive, but after I scored, we all said we wanted more.”

Third-seeded Peninsula (26-2-1) had its best chances to score in the first half. The Panthers hit the post twice in and Traci Arkenberg missed wide left on a breakaway.

Arkenberg, who scored 56 goals for the Panthers this season, never threatened the rest of the way.

Marina added to its lead 16 minutes into the second half when Jenny Benson scored over Panther goalkeeper Kristina Mortaloni from 20 yards out.

With 13 minutes left, Cassie Campbell scored her team-high 29th goal of the season with 13 minutes left on a header after a corner kick by Marcy Crouch.

After winning back to back titles and rolling through a season unbeaten, Bruch has already pinpointed his goals for next season.

“We want to be the first girls’ soccer team to win three straight championships,” he said.

With all but two starters returning next season, Bruch should keep that room at the top reserved.