Sports
Girls Soccer: Titans Heading to the Finals Against TP
Two second half goals were just enough to top RBV and keep Poway's playoff streak alive.
The Poway High girls soccer team will have to find a way to beat Torrey Pines if it plans on celebrating a CIF championship this weekend.
The second-seeded Titans scored twice in the second half Wednesday evening to edge Rancho Buena Vista 2-1 in a San Diego Section Division I semifinal game. Top-seeded Torrey Pines blanked Mission Hills 4-0 and will face Poway in the final at 3:15 p.m. Saturday at Westview High.
The two finalists met twice in Palomar League play, with the Falcons winning 2-1 before the teams played a 1-1 draw. Torrey (19-2-4) has won its last four games by a combined 17-0 score and has 17 section titles. Poway has won two, in 1991 and 1994.
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The first half against RBV was a defensive struggle as both teams had a hard time finding shots on net. Poway controlled the majority of the play, but had difficulty with the Longhorns' offside trap, getting caught nine times in the game.
“We never got frustrated or let the offsides get into our heads” said Titans sophomore Courtney McCandless. “We remained confident and knew eventually we’d get our opportunities to win.”
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With eight minutes left in the half, RBV had the first real chance on net but Miranda Cornejo was unable to get her shot past Titans goalie Kara Stickney, keeping the game scoreless heading into the break.
Poway came out with new life in the second half, putting the pressure on the Longhorns defense.
Just three minutes in, the Titans finally broke the tie. Off a Jenna Pellegrino free kick, McCandless got her head on the ball to beat RBV goalie Monique Boles and put Poway up 1-0.
“We were on our heels tonight,” said Longhorns coach Tim Leary. “Poway did some things out there that confused us, and we were not able to adjust.”
With 14 minutes left, Poway struck again. Titans captain Jenna Belknap got a steal in the Longhorns goal box and crossed it in front of the net to Cecily Gilson for the open shot, giving Poway the 2-0 advantage.
“We left our heart out on the field tonight,” said Gilson. “Our passes were connecting and we were able to put away the chances we had.”
The Longhorns would give Poway a scare late, as Lauren Webber scored off a rebounded block from Stickney to bring the score to 2-1, but they were not able to complete the comeback.
“Every year we say we’re going to make it,” said Belknap. “This year we finally did it.”
Now they'll have to get past Torrey Pines to claim the chapionship.
“They’re a well-coached team, but we knew going into the playoffs that we’d need to get through them to win it all,” said Poway coach Jen Lalor-Nielsen. “When we tied Torrey Pines in our last game, it gave us the confidence to go out and beat them.”
