Loss is learning experience for CdM

NEWPORT BEACH Mount St. Joseph of Maryland lacrosse coach Tony Brockmeyer said he issued a challenge to his captains before the start of Saturday's game against Corona del Mar.

It worked.

The Gaels concluded their tour of Southern California with a 12-7 victory over the Sea Kings (8-1) at Peninsula Park Beach Field on Saturday.

Mount St. Joseph began its three-game trip with a 14-4 victory over Rancho Bernardo High of San Diego on Thursday. The Gaels were then defeated by St. Margaret's, 8-7 in overtime, on Friday.

"I think we were lacking a little bit of leadership and a lot of discipline on different things and I challenged them," Brockmeyer said. "They took the challenge and they went with it. That is a real good team, and they have some good players over there."

The Sea Kings scored the first goal of the game when Ryan Mix scored off an assist from Kevin Kottke. However, from then on, they were forced to play catch up.

The Gaels led 3-1 after the first quarter. A key moment in the game came early in the second quarter when they killed off a three-minute penalty when Justin Lea was sent off for having an illegal stick.

"We killed the penalty and that was huge," Brockmeyer said. "We had a lot of penalties, so our man-down defense spent a lot of time on the field and I think they did a nice job."

The Sea Kings closed the deficit to 4-3 on Mix's second goal, but that was as close as they would get. The Gaels then scored five consecutive goals to take a 9-3 lead.

The loss was the first of the year for the Sea Kings, the second-ranked team in Orange County. It could also serve as a wake-up, according to Coach Mark Todd.

The Sea Kings had won their previous three games entering Saturday by a combined score of 49-8, including one shutout.

"We've had our way with most of the teams we've played so far and I think when you get a team that like them (Mt. St. Joseph) and if you haven't seen anybody like that, it catches you a little bit on your heels," Todd said. "The things we've talked about in practice that we've asked them to get better at, they got exposed today."

"We didn't really start competing until halfway through the third quarter."

Dominic Serio led the Gaels with four goals. Lea and Jake Willertz had two goals apiece.

Mix and Noah Molnar scored two goals apiece for the Sea Kings. Corona del Mar scored three goals in the fourth quarter.

"It (the loss) is what they needed," Todd said. "We've learned some things and we're going to grow from them and get better."

Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com