Division I Girls

Site--Cerritos Gahr

When--8 tonight

Mission Viejo (18-6-2)--Starters: Hannah Cochrun, Fr., goalkeeper, 12 shutouts, gives up fewer than one goal per game; Devon Grissom, Sr., sweeper, team captain for the second year and a first-team All-South Coast League selection last year; Jill Erickson, So., stopper; Suzy Margolis, Sr., defender; Annie Terry, So., defender; Whitney Fitzpatrick, So., midfielder; Sarah Higham, So., midfielder, assisted on the winning goal in Mission Viejo’s 2-1 overtime semifinal victory over Capistrano Valley; Kate Desmond, So., center midfielder, has scored nine goals this season; Stacy Dillard, Jr., center midfielder, a team captain and a second-team all-league selection last season; Nicole Avila, So., forward, has scored 13 goals this season; Amber Skallerud, So., forward, team’s leading scorer (20 goals) and a second-team all-league selection last season.

Los Alamitos (14-4-4)--Jenny Willemse, So., goalkeeper; Cyndi Tredway, Jr., sweeper, a second-team All-Sunset League selection last season; Tricia Stough, Sr., stopper; Carrie Hawkins, So., defender; Jenny Ferguson Jr., defender; Andrea Sievers, Sr., midfielder, a first-team all-league selection last season; Susan Palmer, Fr., midfielder; Sommer Hammoud, Jr., midfielder, a first-team all-league selection last season and scored the winning goal in the final 40 seconds in the Griffins’ 3-2 victory over Torrance in the semifinals; Noelle Rennard, Sr., midfielder; Carrie Shinen, Sr., forward, a second-team all-league selection last season; Brittany Savelkoul, So., forward.

Keys to the game--Mission Viejo is in the final for the first time since 1988, when current U.S. national team player Julie Foudy helped the Diablos win the last of three consecutive titles. Mission Viejo is making its first appearance in the playoffs since 1992. The Diablos, third in the South Coast League this season, are remarkably young--they have seven sophomores and a freshman in their starting lineup. In contrast, Los Alamitos is a veteran team that returned seven starters from last season, when it advanced to the Southern Section quarterfinals. Los Alamitos, which won the Sunset League this season, is making its first appearance in a final. Los Alamitos’ 3-2 victory in the semifinals was the first time this season the Griffins have won a game in which the opponent scored first. Torrance led, 2-0, after the first minute. Los Alamitos is 1-5-4 this season when the opponent has scored first. Mission Viejo Coach George Larsen is concerned with his team’s ability to play well from the opening whistle--the Diablos gave up a goal to Capistrano Valley in the first 20 seconds of their semifinal game. “We just haven’t come out very sharp at the beginning of games. It usually takes us 15-20 minutes to settle down and start playing,” he said.