Norco Puts the Finishing Touches on Brea Olinda in 2-1 Victory

The opposing coaches disagreed on the number of goals it would take to win Tuesday’s Southern Section Division III girls’ soccer semifinal.

Brea Olinda Coach Mike Knaus thought it would take three goals.

Norco Coach Debbie Paggen thought it would take one.

They split the difference, and Norco--showing a finishing touch that escaped Brea Olinda throughout--returned to the section championship game for the first time in four years with a 2-1 victory at Brea High School.

Norco (24-1) plays Moreno Valley Canyon Springs in the final. Brea Olinda (17-8-1) is a semifinal loser for the second consecutive year.

The Wildcats controlled the ball about two-thirds of the game, but when they had their chances, they were too high, too wide or just not quick enough.

And Norco was just right. The Cougars scored in the final 10 seconds of the first half when a crossing pass bounced away from Brea Olinda goalkeeper Christine Geske (nine saves), and Asure Putman knocked in the easy goal from 15 yards.

That allowed Paggen several minutes to set up its defensive scheme for the second half, which included putting Putman in goal. It also provided Brea Olinda an opportunity to dwell on its mistake.

“I told them to forget about offense,” Paggen said. “Sports is 90% mental. [Brea Olinda] didn’t have a chance to kick [their intensity level] up, they had to meditate on what happened.”

Knaus admitted the timing was horrible, but felt his team could recover. And it did, to a degree. Brea Olinda controlled the first 10 minutes of the second half, but when Norco assumed command for a 12-minute stretch, Yvette Vascones scored a tap-in garbage goal in the 62nd minute after the ball deflected off Geske.

‘I’d rather be lucky than good,” Paggen said.

So would Knaus, whose team answered the call for urgency six minutes later with Susan Shuplock scoring from 12 yards after a crossing pass from Tennli Ulicny.

The Wildcats’ last best chance came with seven minutes left, a lead pass from Shuplock to Kim Needham on a breakaway that was out of reach.

“We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities and they did,” said Knaus, who had seven starters from last year’s team and will have just as many players in 1997. “Last year, the girls felt they should’ve gotten to the championship game. Same this year. It’s frustrating to think you’re a better team and lose. Very unsatisfying.”

About that, there was no disagreement.