Woodbridge Gets Win, Del Valle Gets the Save

Irvine forward Matt Taylor expected the postgame talk to be all about his team’s first victory over Woodbridge in seven years. Instead, Taylor found himself praising Woodbridge goalkeeper Jason Del Valle, whose 10 saves led the Warriors to a 2-0 victory at Irvine Friday evening.

“I thought we were going to win,” said Taylor, who is tied for the county lead with 31 goals. “We’re bigger, stronger . . . I still think we have the better team. We just didn’t show it.”

Del Valle, a marking back as a freshman last year, had a lot to do with that. He saved a near-certain goal by Irvine’s Ryan Miracle in the fifth minute. In the second half, Del Valle knocked away two blasts by Taylor from inside 15 yards, and came charging out of goal to smother a loose ball that Taylor was ready to kick in the net.

“He’s a good athlete,” Taylor said. “You can tell he didn’t have all the keeper skills. But he made some great saves.”

“He’s got an incredible future,” Woodbridge Coach Jon Szczuka said. “He’s stepped up and done a heck of a job.”

Midfielder Brett Niebling scored both goals for seventh-ranked Woodbridge (12-3-4, 3-0-1 in the Sea View League). Eighth-ranked Irvine is 8-2-3 and 2-1-1.