Edison Defeats Griffins

From top to bottom, Sunset League girls’ soccer is tough.

Upsets are what this league is all about. There have been 10 notable ones this season and four of the six teams in the league have swapped positions in the county’s top 10.

Fifth-ranked Edison kept that trend going by defeating No. 3 Los Alamitos, 2-1, at Laurel School in Los Alamitos.

With a victory, Los Alamitos (11-4-4, 5-3-1) could have clinched the league title. Now the defending Division I champions find themselves in a first-place tie with Edison (15-3-3, 5-3-1). If both teams win Thursday, the teams will be co-champions.

The first time the teams met in the second week of league, Edison was No. 2, Los Alamitos No. 5. The winner--Los Alamitos, 2-1, in overtime.

“You cannot rest on any game in this league,” Edison Coach Kerry Crooks said. “In league, you always have two teams you know you can beat. Not in the Sunset League. If you aren’t on all the time, you’ll lose.”

On Tuesday, Edison was ready and Los Alamitos was tired. The Griffins, having played a rain make-up game Monday, came out strong. Midway through the first half, the Griffins’ fatigue began to show. Edison was quicker to the ball. The Griffins lost their patience and looked content just to clear the ball.

With three minutes left in the first half, Edison took a 1-0 lead when Lee Ann Morton dribbled down the middle of the field and dished the ball to Erin Novak. Novak went one-on-one with goalkeeper Jenny Willemse, and from 10 yards sailed a shot into the upper corner of the goal.

Los Alamitos came blazing back 30 seconds later, tying the score, 1-1, on a goal by junior midfielder Sarah Kovach from the left wing.

But it was Novak, a freshman, who put the game away for Edison in the first minute of the second half. Willemse blocked a shot by senior Yvonne Pierson, tipping it up into the crossbar. Novak, awaiting a missed shot, was there to knock in the rebound.

In other Sunset League games:

No. 9 Esperanza 1, Marina 1 (OT)--Ember Crouch scored 27 minutes into the second half on a free kick to give Marina a 1-0 lead.

Esperanza’s Kendra Krupansky tied it three minutes later off a corner kick from Melissa Nevin. Esperanza (13-6-3, 4-4-1) moves into third place in league.

Fountain Valley 3, Huntington Beach 1--Cary Groseclose, Liane Nakano and Diane Meza each scored for the Barons (9-9-4, 3-4-2). With the victory, the Barons move into fourth place behind Esperanza.