Imech Helps El Toro Get Past Redlands

El Toro’s Nicole Imech had yet to catch her breath, but between puffs, she managed to say how great it felt to be rewarded for all the hard work.

The senior striker was talking about her team’s 3-1 victory over Redlands in the second round of the Division I playoffs Tuesday at El Toro High, but she could have been referring to her own tireless, two-assist performance that helped lift the Chargers into the quarterfinals against fourth-seeded Rancho Cucamonga.

El Toro (18-7-2) finished third in the brutally competitive South Coast League and its toughness eventually overcame a Redlands team that never backed down in a physical, long-ball battle of pinball. Let’s just say you wouldn’t want to try and keep time of possession in this one.

But while the game featured a lot of aggressive, and sometimes awkward, play, all three of El Toro’s goals were things of beauty.

The Chargers took the lead in the 56th minute when junior center forward Lindsay Smith slammed a 20-yard free kick over the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Lindsey Shook and under the crossbar.

Twelve minutes later, El Toro Coach Kevin Otsuji earned his stipend when he pulled Smith in favor of junior midfielder Heather Jacobs just before a corner kick. Jacobs ran onto the field and into the path of Imech’s perfectly placed lob into the box. The result was a header into the back of the net and a 2-0 lead.

Redlands (19-5) cut the lead to one in the 83rd minute on Sara Aldama’s goal, but a rejuvenated Redlands side was deflated four minutes later.

Imech, who had been harassing defenders and chasing down balls all day, took a pass near midfield, raced down the left flank and beat her defender to the goal line. Her crossing pass was right on the foot of a streaking Smith, who cleanly trapped the ball at the goal line and carried it into the net.

Otsuji admitted that the game was a bit ragged, “But all of those goals were perfectly executed,” he said. “We earned every one of them.”