Hart Beats Westlake on a Fluke

With both teams struggling to score, Hart High’s Shelly Durando found the goal without even looking.

Durando converted a fluke goal with two minutes left to give Hart a 1-0 victory over top-seeded Westlake in a Southern Section Division II quarterfinal girls’ soccer playoff game Thursday at Westlake.

“I was actually just trying to cross it,” Durando said.

Instead, the junior midfielder scored after throwing the ball in to teammate Erin Misaki near the top of the penalty box. Durando took a short tap back from Misaki before kicking the ball in the air, just beyond the reach of Westlake goalkeeper Claire Connor.

Connor, who was outstanding in stopping five second-half shots, including a penalty kick by Misaki and a short rebound of that miss, leaped but just missed notching another save when the ball dropped behind her and bounced across the goal line.

“I’ve dreamed of those kind of goals,” Durando said.

Westlake (19-2-2) might have nightmares about it for some time. The Warriors’ only other loss was against Simi Valley.

“I can’t believe the whole game we stopped all their shots, and then they got that one,” said Westlake midfielder Naomi Chu, who will play at Arizona next year. “It was totally shocking, and I think it shocked everyone else too. But I guess in order to win sometimes, you’ve got to have those kind of goals.”

Hart (20-5-3) advances to the semifinals Tuesday against Mira Costa at a site to be determined. The goal came after the Indians and Westlake had played to a standoff for 78 minutes.

Each team had three shots in the first half. Hart showed more skill throughout, but Westlake was more physical and aggressive.

After a sluggish first half, Hart picked up the pace behind Portland-bound Misaki and left wing Ali Pavoni. The Indians outshot Westlake, 6-2, in the second half and finally found a way to beat Connor, who platoons in goal with Katie Peck and played only the second half.

“It was way up there,” Connor said of Durando’s goal. “It was really high and the sun was in my eyes a little, but not so much that I couldn’t see it and make the save.

“I just misjudged it a little, and it didn’t give us time to come back.”

In other playoff games:

Walnut 2, Buena 0--Amy Sugita scored two goals and the unseeded Mustangs upset No. 2-seeded Buena (22-3-2) in a Division II quarterfinal at Walnut.

Chaminade 2, LaSalle 0--Jennifer Valentine and Amy Watts each scored a goal for the Eagles (21-4-2) in a Division IV quarterfinal at LaSalle.

Chaminade goalkeeper Sara Leibowitz recorded her 19th shutout of the season.

Harvard-Westlake 1, La Canada 0--Jessica Younger scored 15 minutes into the second half in a Division IV quarterfinal at Harvard-Westlake.

The Wolverines (18-4-1) scored after Kim LaVere put a long ball past La Canada defenders. The ball deflected off of the sweeper at the 18-yard line, where Younger, a right midfielder, chipped the ball into the upper-left corner of the goal.

St. Bonaventure 3, Frazier Mountain 0--Chrissy Pike scored a goal in the fourth minute and contributed two assists for St. Bonaventure (21-4-1) in a Division V quarterfinal at Frazier Mountain.

Both of Pike’s assists came on throw-ins. Kathleen Soloman headed in her eighth goal of the season in the eighth minute and Christina Gonzalez headed in her 20th goal in the 64th minute.

The Seraphs outshot Frazier Mountain, 16-2, and recorded their 18th shutout.

* BOYS’ SOCCER ROUNDUP: Page 17