Chaminade Takes Care of Business

It is a reflection of its success that Chaminade High barely celebrated Tuesday after downing Paraclete, 3-0, in a Southern Section Division IV girls’ soccer semifinal at Chaminade.

The Eagles (22-4-2), winners of the last two Division III titles, advanced to their third consecutive final and will play Bishop Montgomery on Saturday at either Cerritos Gahr High or La Mirada. It is a stage they have expected to reach all season.

“It’s more of a relief than an accomplishment to go back,” said Mike Evans, Chaminade’s coach. “We’ve played good soccer and haven’t hidden from anyone this year.”

The Eagles, who posted their 20th shutout and have allowed 10 goals, again combined stingy defense and a precision passing game. Jennifer Valentine scored two goals, giving her 19, and Amy Watts had two assists, bringing her season total to 20.

Chaminade defeated Paraclete, 1-0, in the El Segundo tournament final in December and Spirit Coach Deana Jacoby said her team’s attack was not as sharp as in the teams’ first meeting.

“[Chaminade is] very good at putting pressure on the ball,” Jacoby said. “It takes you away from your game, from passing under control.”

Chaminade was in control the entire way, building a 13-2 shot advantage and such a pronounced edge in field position that Sara Leibowitz, the Eagles’ goaltender, spent much of the game standing near the midfield line.

The Eagles opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Watts chipped the ball over sweeper Amanda Pollock of Paraclete to Kim Taylor, who had ample time to settle the pass and score her 11th goal with a low shot from the center of the penalty area.

Seven minutes after halftime, Watts again lobbed a pass over the defense, this time to a running Valentine, who scored from 10 yards for a 2-0 lead.

Valentine scored her second goal with 10 minutes to play on passes from Morgan Conver and Meghan Powers.

Valentine, a central midfielder who started on the wing as a sophomore and junior, scored the winning goal in the 1997 Division III title game. The senior has narrowed her college choices to Pennsylvania and Wake Forest.

Evans said he has never coached a more driven player.

“She’s improved every day and every year,” Evans said. “She plays so quick but she settles us down in the middle. The high school game can be a lot of kick-and-run, but Jen’s control lets us play our passing game.”

Valentine said the Eagles used that passing game to avoid the physical play that characterized their first meeting with Paraclete.

“We tried to play the ball on the ground and use quick passes to avoid giving them the chance to tackle us,” Valentine said.

Chaminade is 71-9-7 in the last three seasons and has not lost a playoff game in field play in the last four seasons. The Eagles have given up 27 goals in that span.