Strong Defense Keys Warriors

Woodbridge’s defense shut down Sunny Hills forward Simi Phull, the county’s leading scorer, en route to a 4-0 victory over the Lancers in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division II girls’ soccer playoffs Thursday at Woodbridge.

It was a rematch of a quarterfinal from last season, when the third-seeded Warriors defeated Sunny Hills, 3-0. This season the Lancers are seeded fourth, with a record of 23-4-2. Sunny Hills finishes 23-4.

“We knew [Sunny Hills] hadn’t played the kind of competition we had,” Woodbridge Coach Jon Szczuka said. “But if you can build a record of 23-4, you’re doing all right. So we were a little bit apprehensive.”

The Warrior defense, which hasn’t given up a goal in the playoffs, didn’t allow Phull as much as one good look. The Lancers (23-5-2) were outshot, 15-5, with no shots by Phull, who finished with 38 goals this season.

“Our defense has really been coming along,” Szczuka said. “We knew they had a good forward and we wanted to close her down. We didn’t know much else, because they didn’t play any South County teams.”

The Warrior offense applied constant pressure on the Lancer defense, scoring on its sixth shot midway through the first half when Emily Schwimmer sailed a shot from the corner of the box into the opposite side of the net, beyond the reach of goalkeeper Ashley Moskovich.

In the second half Sunny Hills’ defense collapsed as the Warriors scored three goals in 15 minutes.

Sophomore forward Ina Kain scored two goals and freshman Bianca Roderick, who was brought up from the junior varsity at the end of Sea View League play, scored the final goal.

Kain started the scoring splurge 15 minutes into the half when, from 20 yards out, she placed a shot over Moskovich’s head. Eight minutes later Kain struck again with a shot into the corner. Roderick added her goal with 10 minutes left in the game.

Woodbridge will play top-seeded Ventura Buena (30-0) in a semifinal game Tuesday at a site to be determined by a coin flip.

In other Division II games:

Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 4, Mission Viejo 1--Jen Thais scored the Diablos’ goal in the first half. Third-seeded Mira Costa will play at second-seeded Santa Margarita in a semifinal game Tuesday.

Santa Margarita 1, North Torrance 0 (OT)--Katie Frattone scored the winner in the first overtime for the Eagles. Lauren Kent had six saves in the first half and Julie Peterson had two in the second half for Santa Margarita (19-3).