SANTA CLARITA — Two goals by Kelsey Steck, one in overtime, provided the firepower third-ranked Westmont (11-0-3, 5-0-2 GSAC) needed to claim a 3-2 Golden State Athletic Conference victory over No. 15 The Master’s on Wednesday in Santa Clarita.
“Kelsey Steck played worthy of the Player of the Week honor she received this week and she now has five goals in two games,” said Westmont head coach Kristi Kiely. “More than anything else, I’m happy to get a victory in an overtime game this year. (Goalkeeper) Lindsey (Smith) came up big again today and was very good. Kaitlynn Durham ran the sidelines all game long.
“The game could have gone either way,” said the coach. “I thought The Master’s came out better than we did to start. I thought we came out better in the second half and overtime. The wind was a huge factor and we struggled with it in the first half.”
In the tenth minute, the Mustangs claimed an early goal on a free kick by Tara Struiksma. Natasha Coyle headed in the pass from Struiksma, deflecting it into the net past Smith.
Seven minutes later, Westmont’s Kaci Mexico had an opportunity to even the match after receiving a ball at the top of the box. Mexico fired away, but Mustang keeper Ilyssa Espiritu dove to her right to poke the ball wide of the net.
In the 45th minute, Tiffany Dimaculangan passed a ball forward to K.J. Hornibrook whose shot from five yards out was deflected by Espiritu to prevent the equalizer.
The equalizer came in the 58th minute in the form of an own goal. A Mustang’s defender attempted to clear a ball in the box, but her errant kick looped over Espiritu’s head and into the goal.
The Master’s recaptured the lead in the 74th minute when Jasmine Benson scored on a pass from Elvia Contreras, putting the ball in the left side netting adjacent to the pole.
Less than two minutes later, the Warriors evened the score again. Courtney Stonesifer passed the ball to Steck on the right side. Steck’s kick found the upper right corner of the net, knotting the game for the second time and eventually sending the game into overtime.
The game winner came with 5:52 showing on the overtime clock. K.J Hornibrook passed the ball to Steck who was left all alone on the right side. Steck found the same spot in the net to end the game and claim the Warrior win.
