On Tuesday, girls soccer fell short to Los Alamitos, 3-2, in an overtime match during the 2nd round of the Division 1 CIF playoffs.
Costa Girls Varsity Soccer team celebrates after junior Taylor Southey scores a goal against Los Alamitos on Feb. 14 at Waller Stadium. The team lost in penalty kicks after a double overtime.
The Griffins scored early in the first half, putting them ahead of the Mustangs. Junior center midfielder Sydney Bushman scored on a header off of a corner kick, tying the score heading into the second half of the game.
“Getting the tying goal allowed us to settle into the game and feel more confident throughout the rest of the game,” Bushman said. “Although we didn’t get the result we wanted, I am super proud of the team and wouldn’t trade this season for anything.”
Junior Juju Arensdorf fights with a Los Alamitos player for possession of the ball during their CIF game on Feb. 14 at Waller Stadium. The team lost in penalties 3-2 to Los Alamitos, eliminating them from CIF playoffs.
According to junior defender Juliana Nussbaum, the team kept sustained intensity. After various missed shots on goal and continuous pressure, junior forward Taylor Southey scored halfway into the second half, putting the Mustangs in the lead, 2-1.
“It was a tough way to end the season after we put in so much effort,” said Nussbaum. “We enjoyed our season with the seniors, even though it was a bittersweet goodbye.”
Costa Boys Varsity Soccer team and the Associated Student Body cheer on the players at their CIF game at Waller Stadium on Feb. 14.
The Mustangs maintained possession of the ball, according to junior defender Miya Ostboe, but ultimately lost the lead after fouling an opposing player. Los Alamitos scored off of a free kick at the edge of the box during the last play of the game. The Griffins’ kick tied the score at 2-2, forcing the match to go into overtime.
“I thought it was unlucky since the call was not an acutal foul, and the game was supposed to already be over,” junior forward Taylor Southey said. “We were feeling nervous as the other team was going to have momentum going into overtime due to their goal, but I had full faith in our keeper JJ and the rest of our team.”
Senior Ella Hageman dribbles the ball upfield while a Los Alamitos player defends her.
According to junior defender Arianna Vogel, the referee’s foul call was questionable. Especially with such little time left in the game, this call was crucial in the outcome of the match.
“The Los Alamitos player really tripped herself, and there wasn’t even a major tackle from our defense,” Vogel said. “The refs made a bad call, but we couldn’t argue it.”
Going into double overtime, the score was still tied 2-2, and both teams failed to score during the extra 20 minutes. Because this was a playoff game, the match went into penalties kicks to break the tie and decide the winner. The Mustangs gathered their five teammates, juniors Mia Crisera, Sydney Bushman, Juju Arensdorf, sophomore Mckenna Cooper, and freshman Lexi Scholten.
Junior Juju Arensdorf passes the ball to her teammate Ella Hageman, making a run towards the goal.
“The game was a constant battle to come out with a win,” senior forward Rebecca Rytz said. “Sadly, we lost in penalties after a really strong and high-pressure game.”Senior goalkeeper Jacqueline Hoover was able to save two penalty kicks from going in the goal, but the opposing goalkeeper blocked three out of five of Costa’s shots. The Mustangs lost the game, 3-2, in penalties, eliminating them from the CIF playoffs and ending the season.
“JJ had a huge impact this season, coming up big in games and keeping the scores close,” Bushman said. “The team will miss her presence on the field and the positive energy she brought to the team.”
Despite their loss, the Mustangs finished the season with an overall record of 12 wins, 3 losses, and 6 ties. Costa was ranked 2nd in the Bay League with a record of 4 wins, 1 loss, and 5 ties. The team was also the South Varsity Tournament champion.
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