ALISO VIEJO – Long Beach Wilson girls soccer coach Dalton Kaufman said before the start of Tuesday’s game that his squad needed to play perfectly to knock off top-seeded Aliso Niguel.
They didn’t, but they still got the perfect result.
The Bruins scored two goals in the game’s final 10 minutes to erase a one-goal deficit and defeat the Wolverines, 2-1, in a CIF-SS Division 1 second-round game at Aliso Niguel High.
The victory advances Long Beach Wilson (13-7-5) to the quarterfinals, where it will take on Santa Margarita at home on Thursday. Santa Margarita defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 1-0, Tuesday.
“Do you have some CPR paddles for me?” said Kaufman after the game. “We have a lot of respect for Aliso Niguel, but the girls weren’t intimidated. We made some changes late in the game to isolate some of our girls and created our own luck at the end.”
The tying goal came in the 73rd minute off a set piece from 30 yards. Senior midfielder Kristina Holbrook lofted a pass into the box, and after a scramble in front of the goal, senior Maxine Nagramada tapped in the ball past Aliso Niguel goalkeeper Alyssa Noh to knot the score at 1-1.
Six minutes later off another set piece, Holbrook kicked a perfect 20-yard pass to Talia Colchico, who then delivered a cross to Elizabeth Noble, who tapped in the winner.
“We had too many chances to go up 2-0, and we didn’t take those opportunities,” said Wolverines coach Randy Dodge. “Wilson was just more physical than us, and we didn’t deal with that physicality.”
Aliso Niguel tallied its lone goal in the 39th minute when senior Lauren Miller headed in a perfectly placed corner kick by Remy Mathews.
The victory marked the third time Wilson has knocked Aliso Niguel out of the playoffs in the past 12 years. The Bruins ousted the Wolverines in 2003 and 2008. It also marked the first time any team has scored more than one goal against the Wolverines this season. For the year, Aliso Niguel allowed just six goals.
Despite the loss, Dodge said he was pleased with the season.
“We had a great year. It’s going to be bitter for awhile, but we’ll be back,“ he said.
Contact the writer: 714-796-2247 or magarcia@ocregister.com
