DIVISION I GIRLS’ SOCCER : Marina Weathers Scare, 3-1

For a few minutes there, Marina’s three-season unbeaten streak appeared to be in jeopardy against Santa Margarita.

But thanks to strong goalkeeping and a little luck, Marina weathered a barrage and then responded with two quick goals to give the Vikings a 3-1 victory in a Southern Section Division I semifinal in front of 500 at Santa Margarita High.

Marina (20-0-1) extended its unbeaten streak to 60 games and advanced to its third consecutive Division I championship game. The top-seeded Vikings will play second-seeded Claremont for the title at 8 p.m. Friday at Cerritos Gahr High School.

Claremont and Marina tied for the 1993 title and Marina beat Palos Verdes Peninsula in the ’94 championship game.

Santa Margarita (22-5-2), which finished the regular season ranked second in Orange County behind Marina, gave the Vikings their biggest scare of the playoffs--perhaps the season.

“I think we had them for a while there,” Santa Margarita Coach Chuck Morales said. “I think we disrupted their cohesiveness.”

The Eagles tied the score, 1-1, on Annie Luke’s goal seven minutes into the second half and were controlling the action. A sliding shot by Luke narrowly cleared the crossbar.

Then, about 17 minutes into the half, Santa Margarita midfielder Ami Aylor, who had just entered the game to take a flip throw-in, took a high shot from the right side that was curving toward the net. Marina goalkeeper Jennifer Simmons had to jump to make the most spectacular of her 10 saves.

Marina, which led 1-0 at the half on a goal by Cassie Campbell, struck back quickly. With 11 minutes to go, Santa Margarita cleared a Marina corner kick to the 18-yard line, but Jessica Lyon was waiting and put a high-arching shot over Santa Margarita goalkeeper Riki-Ann Serrins. Two minutes later, Megan Orach slipped past her defender and beat Serrins.