Old, New Help Eagles Defeat Laguna Hills

Somebody asked Santa Margarita Coach Chuck Morales the difference between the team that beat Laguna Hills Tuesday to advance to the Division III title game and his two previous girls’ soccer teams, which won or shared Southern Section titles.

He had to think about it for a couple of minutes. It certainly wasn’t senior Erica Perrotta, the longtime team leader who scored the first two goals in the Eagles’ 3-2 victory at Santa Margarita High.

Actually, Morales had already answered the question moments after the game when he bubbled, “You guys just saw the future of soccer in Southern California. Was Katie Rivera phenomenal or what?”

Rivera, a freshman striker, scored the game-winner in the 67th minute when she took a long through ball from Stacey Rowe, blew past two defenders and then, with Laguna Hills sweeper Lindsey Myers glued to her side, slipped the ball past diving keeper Jamie Lautenschlager just inside the far post.

And those moves rated halfway down Tuesday’s Top 10 list.

Perrotta scored from 13 yards out in the second minute, but Laguna Hills tied the score 17 minutes later when Lindsey Balzhiser headed in a direct kick. The Hawks (22-3-3), who were eventually outshot, 21-7, played the Eagles (15-4-7) even the rest of the half.

“We were having a little more of the play, causing them some concern in the first half,” Laguna Hills Coach Kevin Macare said. “But their skill up front and their depth started to tire us out.”

Perrotta put Santa Margarita back in front when Rowe fed her a long pass and she split two defenders before touching the ball past the diving Lautenschlager into an open net in the 50th minute. But when Rivera, who did not start either half, came off the bench in the 53rd minute, the Eagles really began to dominate.

Three times she took the ball into the corner and appeared to be trapped by a double team, only to emerge along the goal line and create a scoring opportunity. She had close-in shots on goal in the 59th, 60th and 62nd minutes.

“We tried to deny her the ball, but once she gets it . . . “ Macare said. “She has great pace, great composure and, obviously, incredible skills.”

Santa Margarita plays Valencia Saturday in the title game.