GIRLS’ SOCCER

Top-ranked Capistrano Valley, coming off a fifth-place finish in the Excalibur tournament, will open a grueling South Coast League schedule today at No. 3 Mater Dei. The Cougars, the defending league champion, are led by senior midfielder Kim Abbamonto, junior forward Chandra King and sophomore defender Megan Abbamonto. Mater Dei, after winning the Ocean View tournament, has steadily advanced in the coaches’ poll. This will be the Monarchs’ first real test.

The Sunset League also begins today with two top-10 teams matched as No. 4 Esperanza travels to No. 6 Los Alamitos. Esperanza, which dropped one spot in the polls after losing to Capistrano Valley and Marina, has to open league with a tough schedule. After facing the Griffins, the Aztecs play Edison, the Excalibur champion. Edison, led by Excalibur offensive MVP Yvonne Pierson, will get to warm-up in league play against a young Huntington Beach team, before hosting Esperanza.