Marina Continues Mastery of League

The Marina girls’ soccer team turned heads last month when it won the Excalibur tournament and it has held people’s attention since with a 2-0-1 start in the Sunset League.

Marina defeated Esperanza, 3-2, Thursday, to remain undefeated in league. With each victory, the Vikings are showing that they have survived the loss of eight senior starters from last season’s team.

“I’m not really surprised,” first-year Marina Coach Jorge Valenzuela said. “I know they are a good group of girls. I know that they are capable of doing this and now they are doing it.”

Marina won the last three Southern Section Division I championships, compiling a 61-game unbeaten streak at that time. But after losing most of its key players to graduation, the Vikings’ streak was broken in their season opener and they started the season 1-4-1.

During the last month, however, the Vikings, 10-4-2 overall, have seemed to jell.

“Today, they pushed up better, they moved together as a team, they are playing passes better, they were being a little more intelligent in the box with their chances and, most importantly, they played like a team,” Valenzuela said. “They were together.”

Jenny Benson shot the ball past Esperanza goalkeeper Tracy Sharp in about the 70th minute to give Marina a 2-1 lead. Megan Orach scored for Marina about five minutes later after receiving a well-placed cross from Jennifer Wootton.

Esperanza’s Heather Mears scored from about 20 yards in about the 80th minute to pull within one goal, but Marina attacked ferociously for the rest of the game.

Monique Alvino scored in the 35th minute to give Marina a 1-0 lead at the half. Kim Gallo headed one in for Esperanza (9-4-2, 2-1) in the 55th minute to tie it.