Santa Margarita Outlasts Servite in Overtime, 1-0

From the look on the face of Santa Margarita Coach Curt Bauer, it appeared he was the one who weathered Servite’s overtime onslaught. Fortunately for Bauer, all he had to do was watch goalkeeper Byron Foss turn away shot after shot in Santa Margarita’s 1-0 overtime victory Tuesday in the Southern Section Division III semifinals at Servite.

The top-seeded Eagles (19-3-3), Division III’s defending champion, will play Cathedral City Friday or Saturday in the final at Cerritos Gahr.

“I can’t take this,” said Bauer, wiping the sweat from his brow. “An early lead in overtime is the worst thing. Knowing I had 12 more minutes to hold onto this thing when you’re out-sized, it’s pretty tough.”

Santa Margarita forward Tim Pierce gave Foss a lead to protect when he side-volleyed in a deflected free kick from sweeper Nick Sparks in the eighth minute of overtime. Pierce created the free kick when he was tripped in Servite’s end.

“There was a bunch of commotion and then the ball came back across right to me,” said Pierce, who was only five feet from the goal when booted in his 21st goal of the season past Servite goalkeeper Scott Lambert.

Pierce’s goal quieted Servite’s fans, but they didn’t stay quiet for long. Once the first 10-minute period ended and the teams switched ends, Servite’s offense went to work.

The Friars pelted Foss with seven shots in the next 10 minutes, including one by Keith Buckley in the 82nd minute that hit the left post. Buckley took a perfect feed from midfielder Mark Kisting and beat Foss, but he couldn’t beat the post.

“That’s the goalkeeper’s favorite sound, that tink,” Bauer said.

Two minutes later, Kisting found himself alone on the right side from 15 yards out. He fired a blast across the goal at Foss, who dived to his right and caught the ball.

“That was the most incredible thing, that he caught the ball,” Bauer said. “Otherwise, we’re facing a corner kick and they have us completely out-sized inside.”

Striker Matt Terry had the last, good scoring opportunity for Servite, but he mis-hit a volley from 12 yards that Foss easily handled.

“In the playoffs, he hadn’t had to do anything for us,” Bauer said. “I wasn’t sure if he would show up because he hadn’t really been tested.”

Servite Coach Scott Cutshall said the 6-foot-4 Foss was a pain all day long.

“Their keeper took away everything in the air,” Cutshall said. “We had to go front post instead of the back post. He didn’t leave us many options.”

Fourth-seeded Servite finished at 24-6-1.

“I think these were the best two teams in the county,” Cutshall said. “It was a great showdown.”