El Modena Can Only Learn in 3-1 Loss

El Modena Coach Jeff Pearson had no regrets after the Vanguards lost to second-seeded Glendora St. Lucy’s, 3-1, in Tuesday’s Division III girls’ soccer semifinal at El Modena. In fact, he enjoyed watching the Regents’ style of play.

“They’re not just the best team in this division, they’re one of the best teams in [the Southern Section],” Pearson said. “Division I, II, III, they would be right there with anybody. They’re big, they’re fast, their attack is awesome. They’ve got some players that are just explosive.”

Unlike El Modena, which has advanced to the title game the last two seasons, success is something new for St. Lucy’s. This season, the Regents won their first league title in 10 years and advanced past the quarterfinals for the first time.

“Basically what we’ve been aiming for is just building the team and not having any devastation when the seniors leave,” said St. Lucy’s Coach Shelly O’Brien, who was a sophomore on the Regents’ 1988 league championship team.

St. Lucy’s (17-3-4) looked like the better team from the start, but it was an own goal by El Modena in the fifth minute that gave the Regents a 1-0 lead.

El Modena (17-10-1) countered eight minutes later when Vicki Blume crossed the ball into a crowd and Deanna Carlson was able to get a head on it and knock it into the net. It was only the second playoff goal allowed by St. Lucy’s, which has scored 21 in four playoff games.

El Modena goalkeeper A.J. Reeder made two difficult saves to keep the Vanguards even, but St. Lucy’s went ahead in the 28th minute when Janae Sims sent a short cross to Christine Bill, who settled the ball, then fired it into the top right corner.

“That second goal was just awesome,” Pearson said. “I mean it sent chills up my spine just thinking about it. It was a great play.”