Dos Pueblos goalkeeper Anna Rudeen stops a Mira Costa shot during CIF Division 2 playoff game.
It was apparent from the first minute of the game that Dos Pueblos was going to have its hands full defending against a speedy Mira Costa team in the first round of the CIF Division 2 girls soccer playoffs.
The Chargers gave up a quick goal, got two back before halftime, then allowed four unanswered tallies in the second half and lost 5-3 on a cold, damp Thursday at Scott O’Leary Stadium.
“We fell apart on defense,” DP coach Jose “Pato” Guerrero said. “We made way too many mistakes. It’s impossible to win a game, any game, when you make that many mistakes in the back.”
The Charger defense was weakened by the absence of senior Marina Plesons, who was out with an injury.
Forward Erin Ristig scored two goals for Dos Pueblos.
“We were missing three to four starters,” said Guerrero.
Despite the loss, Dos Pueblos, the Channel League runner-up, finished a good season at 16-6-1. Mira Costa, the No 3 team from the Bay League, improved to 15-6-2.
Speedy forward Kimby Keever took advantage of an unsettled DP defense and scored to put the visitors from Manhattan Beach on top.
DP’s forward tandem of Erin Ristig and Rachel Smith helped the Chargers overcome the early deficit and playoff jitters by scoring back-to-back goals. Claire Mathews picked off clearing ball at midfield and fed Smith, who hit a beautiful low cross from the right side to the far post. Ristig ran on to it and buried her shot to knot the score at 1-1 in the 25th minute.
Two minutes later, Smith got deep in the Mira Costa box and hacked away at the ball until it was blocked out of bounds by Mustangs goalkeeper Dana Eisenhauer. On the ensuring free kick from Mathews, Smith rose above everyone and slammed a header into the goal for a 2-1 DP lead.
Mira Costa regained the momentum five minutes into the second half. After Eisenhauer saved a shot by Smith, the Mustangs tied the score at 2-2 off a long throw into the box. The ball popped up during a scramble and defender Megan Hong headed it past DP goalkeeper Anna Rudeen.
“When they scored their second goal, we started to panic again and we made way too many mistakes in the back,” said Guerrero.
The Chargers created a good opportunity to retake the lead in the 47th minute. Smith stole the ball and crossed it to an open Ristig, but the senior hit her shot wide.
The Mustangs took the lead for good in the 57th minute when Mandy McKeegan sliced through the Chargers’ defense on a long through ball and beat Rudeen.
“We try to play to our strengths and our strength is our offense,” said Mira Costa assistant Amanda Cross.
Mathews fed Ristig for a chance to tie the score on a one-on-one challenge with Eisenhauer. The Mira Costa goalkeeper, however, came up big, racing off her line to block Ristig’s shot with her chest.
Keever made it 4-2 in the 64th minute, scoring on a header during a scramble in the box.
Taylor Foland scored in the 75th minute for a 5-2 Mustangs’ lead.
“The girls started off strong, and we had a couple of minutes when we didn’t play so great. We came back and we proved that we really wanted to be here,” said Cross.
Ristig fought off a defender and finished a right-footed shot for the final goal of the game and her DP career.
