GIRLS’ SOCCER ROUNDUP : Richard’s Goal Gets Irvine Past El Modena, 2-1

After setting up her teammates for shot after shot with centering passes from the left wing, Irvine’s Rise Richard found her Vaqueros still locked in a tie with El Modena Tuesday. So she took it upon herself to score the game winner.

Richard’s goal, a high-arching lob shot from 25 yards out that was too high for goalkeeper Marie Dillon, gave No. 9 Irvine a 2-1 victory and moved the Vaqueros into the quarterfinals of the Excalibur Tournament at Foothill High. Irvine (10-1-1) plays No. 1 Marina in a quarterfinal game at noon today.

Irvine controlled the ball throughout the game with aggressive play at midfield. Vaquero Coach Hamid Sedehi credited forwards Richard and Shannon Milovich with setting the pace.

“Shannon and Rise came on strong,” he said. “They are very talented players with good touch on the ball.”

Irvine scored first, early in the first half when Sarah Denson intercepted a pass in front of the El Modena goal and fed Katie Roda for an easy tap-in.

El Modena had few scoring chances in the game, but converted late in the first half when Kaylee Whitfield controlled a corner kick and drilled a shot into the upper left corner to tie the score, 1-1.

But Richard chipped in her unlikely game-winner midway through the second half and Irvine held on the rest of the way.

“I always take shots from right there, but I guess this one was kind of lucky,” Richard said.