You only get one crack at making a quality first impression.
Making her varsity soccer debut Tuesday afternoon, JSerra’s Taylor Gosselin made the most of hers.
The freshman forward netted two goals in her first high school match, helping JSerra notch a 2-1, season-opening victory over No. 9 Capistrano Valley in a nonleague match at Capistrano Valley High.
“Taylor is really good,” Lions coach Greg Baker said of his young striker. “She plays for a really good club team and a good club coach. She’s one of the attacking players on the So Cal Blues. So, not a surprise for her to come in here and do that.”
Playing alongside junior Antoinette Bailey up top, Gosselin looked fearless from the opening whistle, finishing with a game-high five shots on goal.
She netted her first goal of the contest in the 27th minute thanks in large part to a dazzling 25-yard run by Bailey. After finding some space in the center of the field, the junior forward dribbled her way into the 18-yard box where she dished off to teammate Mahea Heimuli, who had run step-for-step along Bailey’s right-hand side.
After a quick touch to control the ball, Heimuli centered a pass to Gosselin near the penalty spot, where the freshman put a shot past the diving effort by Cougars goalie Stacy Hartung.
The Lions doubled their lead in the 54th minute when Samantha Hobert delivered a long pass near midfield into the box. Gosselin controlled the ball, turned and fired her second goal of the game into the side netting.
“When you defend like we did today, you don’t deserve to get a result,” Cougars coach Neil Powell said. “We didn’t play with any urgency until after that second goal.”
Forward Jada Maclean scored Capistrano Valley’s goal in the 64th minute.
When a cross from Cougars senior Jennifer Munoz ricocheted off of a Lions defender and found Maclean’s right foot, the sophomore powered a shot from just inside the 18 into the back of the net.
Despite owning a majority of the possession throughout the afternoon, the Cougars (1-1) were unable to capitalize on their late chances in the last 15-plus minutes of action.
In the Aliso Cup Tournament:
No. 1 Aliso Niguel 2, Orange Lutheran 0: The top-ranked Wolverines (2-0) – who are hoping to make it four consecutive trips to the Aliso Cup championship – earned a shutout victory over the Lancers in pool play.
Sarah Roberts and Remy Mathews each netted a goal for Aliso Niguel, while keeper Megan Groothuis pitched a shutout with three saves.
No. 4 Sunny Hills 0, Woodbridge 0: Lancers goalie Amanda Poertner needed to stop only one shot to earn a blank sheet, while her counterpart, Tiana Sanders, got in front of seven shots to help preserve the scoreless draw.
No. 5 Corona del Mar 1, Ayala 0: After getting a first-half goal from Elise Roche, the Sea Kings’ stingy defensive third kept the Bulldogs off the score sheet to help earn the win.
