Freed’s Second-Half Goal Lifts Pacifica

Pacifica and Garden Grove entered Monday’s Garden Grove League girls’ soccer game unbeaten in league, so everyone realized what was at stake.

“This game was going to decide the league champ, I think everybody knew that,” Pacifica Coach Matt Etchison said. “It was a playoff atmosphere out there.”

Ashley Freed scored the winning goal for Pacifica midway through the second half as the host Mariners beat Garden Grove, 2-1, to take control of the league race.

Pacifica (10-5-4, 6-0-1) took a 1-0 lead late in the first half when midfielder Natalie Perkins crossed a pass into the Garden Grove penalty box that Mariner forward Carly Burch redirected into the net.

Garden Grove (12-3-2, 5-1-1) came back to tie the score, 1-1, early in the second half on a goal by Jessica Hull. But Freed scored shortly thereafter on a left-footed blast that gave the Mariners the lead for good. The goal was Freed’s 10th of the season.

“It was a heartbreaker,” Garden Grove Coach Peter Florin said. “I think we dominated most of the game, especially in the second half, but we just couldn’t get the goal we needed.”

The Argonauts have given the six-time defending league champion Mariners all they could handle this season, tying Pacifica, 1-1, three weeks ago in their first league match-up.

“I think this is turning into a good rivalry,” Etchison said, “and I think that’s good for not only the two teams, but the league as well.”