Eagle Offense Too Much for St. Lucy’s

For the Santa Margarita girls’ soccer team, the numbers this postseason definitely added up. The Eagles scored 29 goals in five games during the playoffs while giving up only one.

End result: One championship.

Katie Rivera and Katie Frattone scored goals as top-seeded Santa Margarita used a decided speed advantage to beat third-seeded Glendora St. Lucy’s, 2-0, Saturday at Cerritos Gahr High to win the Southern Section Division III crown.

The Eagles, who won their fourth section title in the last five years, had most of the early chances, but a near miss and a big save by St. Lucy’s keeper Katie Blank kept the game scoreless until midway through the first half.

Santa Margarita (20-2-2) finally broke the tie in the 23rd minute when Rivera received a pass from Frattone that split the Regents’ defense, raced into the clear and blasted a shot that beat a charging Blank to the left side.

The goal, and Rivera’s burst, were impressive because Rivera was playing with an injured hamstring that limited her movement.

“The adrenaline took over,” Rivera said. “Once I saw the play develop, I knew I could score, and just played through it.”

The goal was especially damaging for St. Lucy’s, a team known more for its defense than scoring ability.

“I don’t think we expected Santa Margarita to be that fast,” St. Lucy’s Coach Wes Naughtin said. “We were a little nervous and just wanted to make it to halftime.”

The Regents did, and rebounded to have some of the best chances of the second half, including an eight-minute stretch late in the half that produced four good scoring opportunities.

“All the credit to St. Lucy’s,” Eagle Coach Chuck Morales said. “They had the momentum going in the second half.”

Injury time saw the Regents (19-2-7) with one more opportunity to tie the game, but Eagle keeper Allyce Lawrence made a save on a one-hop shot off the left foot of St. Lucy’s midfielder Meagan Cardin.

Eagle midfielder Jenny Anderson then threaded a long pass to Frattone, who broke in on Blank and scored her 21st goal of the year seconds before the final whistle.

Lawrence recorded her 16th shutout of the season for an Eagle team that gave up only seven goals all season.