Esperanza catches fire in second half

Esperanza spent most of the match in unfamiliar territory and needing to overcome La Costa Canyon of Carlsbad’s lone shot attempt and goal in the ninth minute of their contest Thursday night.

It was the Aztecs’ first deficit since Jan. 28 despite outshooting the Mavericks, 11-1, in the opening half.

Eventually Esperanza’s hard work and perseverance paid dividends as Lindsay Tsai (63rd minute) and Rylee Baisden (74th) registered goals to defeat La Costa Canyon, 2-1, in a CIF Regional Division 1 girls soccer game at Valencia High.

Esperanza (26-0-4) faces San Clemente in the regional final at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Warren High in Downey. It will be a rematch of the CIF-SS Division 1 final, which Esperanza won on penalty kicks after a scoreless tie.

Click here to check out a slide show from this contest and Thursday's other regional semifinals.

The Mavericks (16-6-3) were the CIF San Diego Section Division 1 champion.

“It gets tougher every time out,” Baisden said. “They scored early and it took us out of it, but when we get our fire, we get it going. We always play together as a team, and we always find a way to win.”

Baisden broke a 1-1 tie off a pretty touch pass from AB Ogiamien. Ogiamien received a pass in the box from Erica Mazeau.

Instead of turning for her own shot, Ogiamien laid the ball off to Baisden, who came free and connected for on the winner.

“That was a good decision by AB,” Esperanza coach John King said. “All season we have been saying just do your job. She saw Rylee had the better angle and let her take the shot.”

Baisden's winning goal was set up earlier when Tsai recorded a goal off a well-placed shot. Working on the right side, she let a left-foot floater sail from the 25-yard line and the ball found the back net far post to even the game at 1.

The goal came off one of the Aztecs’ least opportunistic runs, but that’s the luck of the game sometime, King said.

“It was a half-chance and we made something of it,” King said. “It got us back in the game.”

La Costa Canyon took the early lead on Allie Ariniello’s goal. Ariniello got behind the Aztecs defense on the right side before burying a shot far post for the 1-0 advantage.

“That was a good shot,” King said of Ariniello’s kick.

It was the only shot on goal for La Costa Canyon, which spent the match defending against constant Esperanza pressure.

The Aztecs had a goal called back midway through the first half when Katie Gallanes collided with La Costa Canyon goalie Nichole Downing.

The ball squirted free and was kicked in net by Mazeau, but the ref whistled Gallanes for the foul on Downing and the goal was nullified.

Esperanza produced a flurry of shots minutes later when Mazeau’s shot from 30 yards hit the crossbar. Baisden was there for the rebound, but her shot attempt was miraculously broken up by a sliding Mavericks defender inches before crossing the goal line.

Seconds later, Baisden had another point-blank shot attempt saved by Downing.

Esperanza had four shot attempts in the first five minutes of the second half. The Aztecs had another goal called back when Baisden collided with Downing.

Again the ball squirted free, and Baisden jumped to her feet and knocked the ball in for the apparent tying goal. However, the sideline ref raised his flag to indicate a foul on Baisden.

“It was frustrating,” Baisden said. “We had a couple goals called back that should have been goals.”

In the other Division 1 semifinal:

San Clemente 3, Buchanan of Fresno 1: The Tritons scored twice in the second half to break a tie and advance to Saturday's regional final with the victory at Buchanan.