Woodbridge Tops Barons on Penalty Kicks

Daylight conceded to evening before the Woodbridge and Fountain Valley girls’ soccer teams finished slugging it out Wednesday in Irvine for the right to play in the main draw of the Southern Section Division I tournament.

After 120 minutes and 17 penalty kicks, Nicole Gatewood blocked a shot by Fountain Valley’s Heidi Denton to give Woodbridge a victory on penalty kicks, 7-6, in a wild-card game at Alton Athletic Park. The score was tied, 3-3, after regulation.

Gatewood, a senior, crouched over and batted the ball in front of her, then pumped both fists and jumped into a group of her celebrating teammates before a crowd of about 250 who hung around for nearly three hours to the game’s finish. Gatewood has tended goal for three shootouts this season, but this was her first victory.

Woodbridge, 12-7-4, will play at Mater Dei (16-3-2) in the first round Saturday.

Fountain Valley (15-5-4), which tied for second place in the Sunset League and is ranked No. 8 in the county, was favored over unranked Woodbridge, which finished in third place in Sea View League and is making its first appearance in the playoffs since 1992.

But the Warriors scored in the fifth minute after a cross by freshman Holly Robinson deflected off the head of Fountain Valley’s Debbie Blake and hooked into the corner of the net.

Lizzy Lemire scored the first of her two goals about 25 minutes later after taking a cross from Jessica Allen and shooting past fallen Fountain Valley goalkeeper Kim Rudloff.

Blake scored on a penalty kick with about two minutes remaining to make the score 2-1, but Lemire--whose 16 goals this season ties a school record--scored again on a header to give Woodbridge a 3-1 halftime lead.

“I wish the first half had gone on forever and I wish we had never played the second half,” Bell said. “I think we stirred up a hornet’s nest in the first half,” Bell said.

Fountain Valley took control of the game in the second half and brought the score to within one goal in the 46th minute after Blake crossed the ball to Nicole Sweany, who scored.

The Barons tied it in the 64th minute after Liane Nakano sent a long ball to Sweany, who received it with her back to the goal and tapped it back to Blake, who scored.

Fountain Valley had several opportunities to score during the overtime and sudden death overtime periods, but couldn’t finish it off. The score was tied, 3-3, in penalty kicks after the first round. It took seven more kicks before Gatewood blocked the shot.

In Division II wild card-games:

Foothill 4, Garden Grove 0--Lori and Jodi Grigas each scored to give Foothill a 2-0 first-half lead and Mara Logan and Laura Dooly added goals in the second half. Amy Jones, with two saves, had the shutout for Foothill, which will travel to Laguna Hills Saturday for a first-round game.

Rancho Cucamonga 1, Rosary 1 (Rancho Cucamonga wins, 4-3, on penalty kicks)--Lizzy Schilling tied the score in regulation for Rosary (9-7-3), which outshot Rancho Cucamonga, 56-19.

Sonora 9, La Quinta 1--Harmoni McDaniel scored four goals and Stacy Keen had two for Sonora (14-6-1). Sonora will play at Long Beach Poly on Saturday. La Quinta finishes 13-8.

Torrance Bishop Montgomery 1, Troy 0--Jennifer Williams scored in the 12th minute for visiting Bishop Montgomery (10-8-1).

Troy’s Kasey Silva took a penalty kick in the 75th minute for Troy (13-3-1), but Bishop Montgomery goalkeeper Lesli Curry made the save. Troy goalkeeper Michaeli Ramage had nine saves.

University 5, Westminster 0--Kate Pierson scored two goals and Kaley Pickett had a goal and two assists for host University (12-9), which plays at Pacifica Saturday.

In Division III wild-card games:

Cypress 3, Pasadena Poly 0--Cypress will play at Lakewood Mayfair in a first-round game.

Magnolia 1, Whittier California 0--Laura Bohlken scored the winning goal off a throw-in from Nikki Resch with four minutes remaining. Magnolia (12-10-2) will face Norco in the first round on Saturday.

Amanda Eatmon recorded her seventh shutout of the season with three saves. California finishes 12-9-2.

Valencia 2, Cerritos Gahr 1 (OT)--Katie Eatherton scored the winning goal three minutes into overtime, off an assist from Alejandra Nunez, putting Valencia (14-6-2) into the first round against Palm Springs.

Beth Leverett assisted Rachel Ferrari on Valencia’s first goal. Melody Peterson tied the score in the second half for Gahr (9-9-2).

In a Division IV wild-card game:

Brethren Christian 6, San Gabriel Mission 2--Brethren Christian will play at Santa Clara in a first-round game.