Calvary Chapel comes up with clutch win over Estancia

SANTA ANA-A stellar all-around team effort by the Calvary Chapel Eagles helped them pick up a big victory and keep the heat on the front runners in the battle for the top spot in the Orange Coast League.
    
Hayley Gonzales scored a first half goal and Kennady Rose added a second half score, as Calvary Chapel defeated the Estancia Eagles 2-0 Thursday at Centennial Regional Park.
    
“We changed our line-up and went to a 3-5-2 knowing that would generate more offense for us,” Calvary Chapel coach Joe Morris said. “We hadn’t scored in the first half all season and the formation generated more offense. “Once we knocked one in, the girls carried that confidence with them for the rest of the match.”    
    
Calvary Chapel (7-5-7, 3-0-5) is two points behind first place Godinez and Laguna Beach, who both won their respective matches on Thursday. Calvary Chapel is scheduled to host Costa Mesa on Tuesday before closing out the regular season with a match against the Grizzlies next Thursday.
    
Calvary Chapel opened the match with penetration into Estancia’s attacking third and took a 1-0 lead in the seventh minute. Sophomore Shelby Blankinship angled a pass over to Gonzales, who chipped a shot from nearly 20 yards out that floated over the hand of Estancia senior goalie Maria Perez and into the far corner of the goal.
    
“I got that pass from Shelby and saw a wide open lane that was supposed to be for her,” Gonzales said. “She gave me a perfect lay-off, and if there was a time to shoot, it was there. We’ve been a second half team this season, and it was important for us to get that early goal.”
    
Calvary Chapel continued to control possession throughout the first half, as Estancia struggled to clear balls out of the middle and attacking third.
    
Behind senior Heather Flores, Estancia (7-8-6, 2-2-4) began to penetrate the attacking third later in the first half. However senior Katie Butler and freshman Katie Morris helped deny Estancia quality scoring chances.
    
Calvary Chapel would increase the lead in the 46th minute. Off a free kick from Gonzales into the box, Rose fished out the ball and blasted a hard line drive into the far corner of the goal.
    
“I was there at the right place at the right time, kicked it blindly and it went straight to the corner which felt amazing,” Rose said. “We knew it was going to be a hard game today, but we played great and just need to keep working on our attack and getting more shots up.”
    
Estancia managed to create scoring chances later in the half, but they were unable to breakthrough Calvary Chapel’s defense. Butler, Morris, and sophomore Jaylee Robinett stopped scoring opportunities by cutting off passing lanes and clearing balls away from the attacking third. Goalie Ashton McKeown was also aggressive in getting to balls before Estancia’s attackers could get shots on goal.
    
“We didn’t turn our passion and intensity on until it was too late and going down early was a big shock that we couldn’t quite get over,” Estancia coach Jessica Perry said. “Calvary battled hard the entire match and they never let up. I hope this is a learning experience for some of our younger girls and next time they will be prepared for future tough games.”