These Knights Can Be Forgettable

“Bow Down” read the shirts celebrating the 1997 Southern Section Division III title won by the Chaminade High girls’ soccer team. And the way the Eagles are going, the slogan may be appropriate again this season.

Chaminade demolished Notre Dame, 4-1, in a Mission League opener Wednesday, making the team many thought would prove its toughest challenger look foolish in the process.

The Eagles (14-1-1), regarded as the area’s best girls’ team, blitzed the host Knights (9-1-2) for two goals in each half and led, 4-0, before losing their shutout bid on a penalty shot.

Kerrie Clavadetscher started each half at fullback before moving to forward and had a goal and two assists. Lindsey Horn, Michelle French and Amy Watts also scored for Chaminade, league co-champion last season with Harvard-Westlake.

Notre Dame, third in league last season and recently impressive in winning the Simi Valley tournament, was outshot, 12-3, and did not force Eagle goalkeeper Kim Nelli to make a save. Defensively, the Knights played as if in a fog.

Horn scored Chaminade’s first goal in the 16th minute, arriving unguarded into the goalmouth from her stopper position and heading in a 40-yard free kick from Watts.

The Eagles effectively ended the game eight minutes before halftime with their second goal. Jennifer Valentine’s shot bounced off the chest of Notre Dame goalkeeper Cheryl Acosta and as the Knight defense watched, Clavadetscher casually tapped in the ball.

“Do your work early and get ahead quick; that’s what I try to coach,” said fourth-year Chaminade Coach Mike Evans, whose teams are 7-0 against Notre Dame and 24-6-1 in league play.

French put Chaminade up, 3-0, in the 56th minute with her sixth goal of the season and Watts finished the Eagle scoring four minutes later with her seventh. Clavadetscher assisted on both scores. Notre Dame’s Melissa Rubey converted a penalty shot for her 13th goal in the 61st minute.

Chaminade played without its top player, midfielder Lia Cummins, who is recovering from an ankle injury, and without second-leading scorer Liz Buhn, who was sick. Still, the Eagles thoroughly controlled play with long passes to utilize advantages in speed and height.

“We’re used to playing a passing game on the ground and we just didn’t recognize early enough that we had to step up on their fullbacks and cut off the long ball,” Notre Dame’s Sarah Morgan said.