2012 Alumni game action!

The 3rd annual Trabuco Hills Girls Lacrosse “Mustangs Forever” Alumni Game will be held Sunday, June 23 from 1 pm to 4 pm at the THHS stadium.

More details will follow, but we wanted to get the date out so all could plan accordingly.

The Alumni has lost the first two matches … is this the year of the old gals have a breakthrough?

The Griffins charged out to an early lead with three goals in the first three minutes. On the fourth draw of the game the Mustangs gained control of the ball and diligently worked the ball up field.  Hope Dodd opened up the scoring for the Mustangs, making it 3-1, Los Al, 5 minutes into the contest.

But unlike Tuesday’s first-round playoff victory over Corona del Mar, there was no recovery from a slow start for Trabuco Hills. The balance of the first half at Los Al frustrated the Mustangs, as they got very little possession time and the remaining offensive action was all for Los Al’s benefit. The half ended with the Mustangs trailing 12-1.

The second half didn’t start off positively for the Mustangs, as they surrendered 6 consecutive goals. With the team now behind 18–1, the Mustangs dug deep and determined not to end the game without showing Los Al their will.  

The Mustangs hustled to gain possession and Dodd contributed her second goal of the game to make it 18–2. After a lengthy stand on defense where the Griffins possessed the ball but were kept from scoring for nearly 5 full minutes, a free position shot gave Los Al their final goal of the game.

The Mustangs were not ready to give up and in the final three minutes Hannah Redwine found Melanie Leong in front of the net and she tallied the Mustangs’ 3rd goal of the game. The Mustangs continued to play hard in the final minute and worked the ball to the front of the Los Al net where a wild scramble ensued and Leong was able to find the loose ball and bury it for the final score of the game.  

Although this was a tough loss the Mustangs have a lot to be proud of for the 2013 season.  Finishing with an 12-6-2 record overall, making their seventh consecutive US Lacrosse playoff appearance — then advancing to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

It’s worth noting that a giant crowd of friends and families of the players were on hand supporting our Lady Mustangs.  Thank you for all the terrific support at all the 2013 games both home and away.  

And, thank you Mustangs and coaches Leong and Ransom for an exhilarating season.

Trivia note: In 2009, the Mustangs defeated Corona del Mar in the first round of the playoffs, only to lose in the next round to … Los Al, by 15 goals.

Vince Lombardi once said, “The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.” In the opening match for Trabuco Hills of the 2013 postseason, “will” would be tested.

Celebrating the win!

The Varsity’s opponent: the #8 seed Corona del Mar Sea Queens. The location: the CdM grass field on a breezy and sometimes chilly afternoon. The quest: advance beyond the 1st round of the playoffs, a postseason ritual the Trabuco Hills ladies have reached for 7 consecutive seasons.

After winning the opening draw, #9 Trabuco Hills looked poised and determined. After controlling the ball for nearly 2 minutes, Becca Haggard was able to find a crack in the active Sea Queen defense and scored the opening goal off of the far post. A promising start. The following draw saw CdM control the loose ball, a trend that would continue throughout most of the game, and move it down the field quickly to tie the score. The Mustangs responded after Melanie Leong was awarded a free position and promptly beat the Sea Queen keeper. On the next possession, Trabuco Hills showed a strong defensive presence, anchored by an energetic Niki Neely, but CdM was able to exploit a breakdown on the back side to again tie the score.

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Unable to win the loose balls, the Mustangs found themselves in a bit of a hole after the Sea Queens scored 3 more quick goals, utilizing a very physical defense, quick feet, and precise tic-tac-toe passing. Still struggling in the center circle, the Mustangs were finally able to come up with a turnover and Hannah Redwine then threaded a nice pass to Marina Sandoval for an easy goal. Jackie Huse was playing a scrappy game, frustrating several Sea Queen midfielders, and Alex Miller was persistent on the ball. Personnel changes on defense left Trabuco Hills with a lack of speed, and CdM quickly exploited it with 2 more goals. Megan McIntyre was able to stop the bleeding with a sharp goal off of a feed by Redwine, and the Mustangs were able to limp into halftime trailing 7-4. The bottom line was that CdM was winning most of the draws and the loose ball battles, and were simply more aggressive than Trabuco Hills.

Niki Neely fights through traffic

“You never win a game unless you beat the guy in front of you. The score on the board doesn’t mean a thing. That’s for the fans. You’ve got to win the war with the man in front of you. You’ve got to get your man.” ~ Vince Lombardi

Whatever was said at halftime, Coach Scott Leong should bottle it for later use. The Mustangs came out inspired, pushing the attack right back at the Sea Queens. After a hard foul, Redwine carried the ball into an absolute traffic jam in front of the CdM net and found a way to slip the ball past the goalie to make it 7-5. Following another rough exchange and several hard checks, Kendall Derbyshire found Hope Dodd for a beautiful quick-stick goal. McIntyre would win the next ball off of the draw, find Dodd in a crowd, and then watched as Dodd hit the afterburners, beating all defenders down the wing before switching to her left hand and tying the game as she cut across the front of the goal mouth. That was followed by Neely making a gutsy play to win a loose ball in a scrum, getting it over to McIntyre, who then found Huse who proceeded to split the defense and score on a bounce shot. 4 unanswered goals by the Mustangs. And throughout everything, Goalie Cyrena Malkowski was spectacular, turning away multiple high-quality scoring chances.

CdM was not discouraged. They quickly responded to again knot the score, but Leong then stepped up to come out of a midfield scramble with the ball and delivered a precise pass to Dodd for the goal. Again, CdM came back, this time with an elusive weave through a myriad of Mustang defenders to even things up. 2 more quick goals by the Sea Queens left the Mustang faithful nervous, at the very least. Dodd would not be denied, however, as she narrowed the margin to 1, but CdM struck again to provide a little cushion as the clock was becoming a factor. Cue Redwine. Stepping into the center circle, her fortitude was palpable. A draw win. Offsides. A Dodd goal. Again, a draw win. Possession in the offensive zone. A missed shot that Dodd was in perfect position for, resulting in another goal. Tie game! Once more, with feeling. A Redwine draw win. Drew a foul call. Taking it in herself from the wing, scoring with her signature low scoop shot. 13-12 with 36 seconds left to play! Could it be?

Not yet. The tenacious Sea Queens were able to control the ensuing faceoff, draw a whistle for a free position, and tie the game with 24 seconds remaining. Overtime yet again, but this one carried a little extra weight.

In the 1st overtime period, CdM won the draw and commenced to pass the ball around the perimeter of the Mustang zone for over 2 of the 3 minutes before running a set misdirection play that allowed one of their dangerous attackers a wide open shot. Neely was able to win the loose ball off of the following draw, without regard for personal safety, and get it up to Dodd, who quickly beat the CdM goalie on the near post. 14-14.

Key goal by Hannah Redwine!

At the opening of the 2nd overtime period, Redwine again won the draw and was able to move the ball over to Huse, who carried into the offensive zone, did a crease roll, and finally slipped the ball inside the near post to give the Mustangs a perilous 1 goal lead. Once more, cue Redwine. A key win on the draw gave possession back to Trabuco Hills, who set up their own perimeter game. CdM was very aggressive and challenged every ball handler. Drawing a yellow card, the Sea Queens were relegated to playing short for the remainder of the period. With the clock working against them, CdM attacked every pass and cradle with 2 and 3 players, but the Mustangs were able to weather the storm, run the final 2 ½ minutes off of the clock, and held on for a hard-fought 15-14 overtime victory. It was Trabuco Hills’ first playoff win since 2009.

“… I firmly believe that any man’s finest hours – his greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear – is that moment when he has worked his heart out in good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” ~ Vince Lombardi

The next challenge: At #1 seed Los Alamitos on Thursday.

CLICK HERE for the Orange County Register’s coverage of the game.

Los Alamitos, looking to win its fifth consecutive county championship, was awarded the No. 1 seed. The winner of Trabuco-CdM gets the winner of Los Alamitos-Dana Hills (#16) on Thursday.

This year, the common opponents of CdM (10-5) and the Mustangs (11-5-2) were Aliso Niguel (both lost) and Woodbridge (both lost in overtime); and Northwood, Newport Harbor and Temecula Valley (both won). CdM’s Laxpower page is here!

Trabuco-CdM is a rematch of a playoff game two years ago. The Mustangs couldn’t solve Corona del Mar in the first round of the 2011 OC/US Lacrosse Orange County championship playoffs, losing 14-10 at Laguna Hills Stadium. CdM had also  beaten the Mustangs that year at season-opening Rose Bowl Jamboree (5-4) and the next week (11-8).

The finale would be against the always tough Los Alamitos Griffins.  This seemed to be the one team the girls did not want to face.  However, the long nap in the afternoon sun bode well for the Mustangs.  They came out in excellent form. 

Crisp passing and deft shooting started this contest off.  Sam Ransom scored first followed by goals from Irene Petruzzi, Caroline Rabourn and Kaylyn Voytilla.  Jacquie Cronkrite reprised her role in goal and shut out the Griffins for most of the first half.  Before the Griffins could take stock of the Mustangs they were in a deep hole at 6-0.  The Mustang defense was equally as effective as the offense.  Timely steals from Shelby Siano resulted in two Mustang goals.  Also, the shut down man-to-man defense from Kody Shelton, Hannah Moller and Caroline Rabourn kept the Griffons from even getting shots off on goal.  Kaylyn Voytilla always seemed to be around the ball and was a key force in moving the ball up field to the Mustang attackers. 

Both Sam Ransom and Kaylyn Voytilla had their first hat tricks of the season.  Most teams wish they could finish their season like the Mustangs did today.  The Mustangs ran away with this one in a well-played victory winning 11-3. 
Goal scorers of the game were Sam Ransom (3), Kaylyn Voytilla (3), Irene Petruzzi (2), Caroline Rabourn (2) and Erin Beall.

Highlights of the season:

• Mustangs’ record was 9-7-3!
• Won 3 and tied 1 at Trabuco Scramble!
• Hosted Sticks & Stones with arecord 24-team field!

It was a great season for the JV Mustangs team.  The hallmark qualities of the Mustang team this season was their aggressive hard-nose defense.  As the season progressed their passing improved dramatically and great things are on the horizon for these girls.
Team captains Caroline Rabourn and Shelby Siano led Irene Petruzzi, Kaylyn Voytilla, Kody Shelton, Erin Beall, Shannon Smith, Jordan Cisowski, Lauren Liberman, Hannah Moller, Jacquie Cronkrite, Alyssa Ortega, Lexus Maestas, Sam Ransom, Bailee Griffin, Ashly Bradshaw and Rachel Gillett to a fantastic season.

This first game was an early one in the fog.  Like clockwork, the Mustangs scored first off a Kaylyn Voytilla shot.  Plagued by wet conditions and sluggish game play the girls fell behind 3-1.  Their timing and communication seemed to be in flux but they kept fighting to get back on track.  With renewed vigor they quickly came back to life off goals from Ashly Bradshaw, Kaylyn Voytilla and Irene Petruzzi.  Suddenly, the Mustangs found themselves in the lead at 4-3. 

However, fatigue from a long week of games set in and the Mustangs could not get back in the game.  They lost a frustrating game.

Goal scorers of the game were: Kaylyn Voytilla (2), Ashly Bradshaw (1) and Irene Petruzzi (1)

In true Mustang fashion the girls of Trabuco would score first on a goal from Hannah Moller.  Yorba Linda struck back with a goal of their own and the score was tied, 1-1.  The Mustangs dominated the middle of the field.  Strong defense and aggressive play from Shelby Siano, Kody Shelton, Caroline Rabourn and Kaylyn Voytilla kept moving the ball into the baskets of the Mustang offensive.  However, they could not capitalize on opportunities around the Yorba Linda net.  Suddenly, the Mustangs found themselves in a whole and were down 4-1 as the half was slipping away.  With a surge of intensity they fought back and scored quickly from well placed shots by Shannon Smith and Jacquie Cronkrite.  The half came to a close with the Mustangs down by one goal at 4-3.

The second half began and the Mustangs still held the momentum.  Another Jacquie Cronkrite goal tied the game.  The Mustang offense struggled to penetrate the Yorba Linda defense and found themselves passing around the perimeter but not being able to take many shots.  The Yorba Linda team took advantage of fast breakaways and brought the score to 6-4.

The Mustangs came back with renewed energy and fought hard to keep the Yorba Linda team on their heels.  A crisp pass from Sam Ransom put Shannon Smith in front of the goal and her shot was on target.  The Mustangs were now down by one.  They took control of the game and again threatened but could not break through the Yorba Linda defense.  Near the 2 minute mark Rachel Gillett drew a timely penalty and scored the tying goal on a low placed shot.  At 6-6 with the time running down the Mustangs controlled the game but could not finish with a victory.  The only thing stopping the girls from winning this one was the clock.

Record: 7-6-3

Next event: At Lax-a-palooza at Laguna Hills Saturday.

 Coming off of their most heart-breaking loss of the year, the Ladies from Trabuco Hills took the field with a lot of anticipation.  After a wonderful celebration of graduating seniors – Hannah Redwine, Hope Dodd, Megan McIntyre, Niki Neely, Kelsey Tapia, Alex Miller, and Becca Ransom will all be moving on to their various college choices – the waves of good feelings were redirected to the business at hand; beating Yorba Linda and finishing the regular season on a positive note.

Early on, neither team was overly aggressive, being content to play a methodical game of cat and mouse to see who would make a mistake.  Both sides had opportunities, but nearly 9 minutes elapsed off of the clock before the Red Mustangs could finally solve goalie Cyrena Malkowski.  On the next possession, the Blue Mustangs turned the tables when Hope Dodd was able to return the favor on the other end of the field.  Both keepers were really playing well, trading save for save. 

After Trabuco Hills was able to slow things down and set up camp in the Yorba Linda end, several passes surrounded the Red Mustang net before Hannah Redwine was able to maneuver through traffic and slip a crafty low shot into the corner.  Winning the next draw, the Blue Mustangs again drove down through a determined defense.  The ball touched a lot of sticks as a scrum ensued, finally finding its way into Dodd’s stick, which she promptly redirected into the back of the net. 

The slow pace continued, partially due to the continuing issue of miscues with the passing game, but Trabuco Hills persevered.  A late possession saw Alex Miller deliver an impressive pass the Redwine right in the slot; Redwine twisted and contorted before a nice finish would push the Blue Mustang lead to 4-1.  As the clock ran down, it was apparent that Trabuco Hills had pressed the attack more so than Yorba Linda as the half wore on and, in spite of the dropped passes and misplayed ground balls, their determination was winning out so far.  Miller and Redwine seemed to be everywhere the ball was, and Niki Neely was a dangerous presence throughout the entire field.   

Yorba Linda opened the 2nd half with an offensive surge that put Trabuco Hills momentarily on their heels.  A wave of attackers culminated in an impressive jump shot over Malkowski to reopen the scoring. 

The Blue Mustangs responded immediately, with Miller and Neely and Becca Ransom showing good teamwork on the defensive end.  Malkowski was still sharp in goal, and a break-out after another big save sent her teammates down the field.  Yorba Linda also picked up their defense, albeit more from a physical standpoint, but Trabuco Hills was able to break through after Dodd got banged around but still managed to find Megan McIntyre for a wide open shot and score.  Jenelle Phillips followed up with a goal off of a free position, then continued her solid play with an assist on a nifty goal by Melanie Leong, which stretched the lead to 5. 

A couple of quick scores narrowed the margin before Dodd scored off of a beautiful give-and-go with McIntyre.  Momentum was with Yorba Linda, however, in large part due to the fact that Trabuco Hills started losing every draw again, a frustrating pattern; most of the losses were in the battles for loose balls, but resulted in almost continuous pressure from the Red Mustang attackers.  3 more unanswered goals brought the Trabuco Hills lead down to 1, and it was impossible to ignore the ghosts from the night before from a tough overtime loss vs. Tesoro.

An outstanding defensive play prevented the next attack after McIntyre tipped a pass and Neely controlled the ball and carried it all the way down the field to turn the tide.  Soon Kendall Derbyshire broke free and scored to give the Blue Mustangs a little breathing room.  But Yorba Linda would not go away, again pulling to within 1 with a tenacious charge.  On the next draw – a very key one – there was a scramble which seemed to move in slow motion, everyone holding their proverbial breath to see who would come out with it.  Miller eventually controlled the ball and secured it with a tough cradle.  With Trabuco Hills spreading the field in the offensive zone, Dodd eventually found a gap and broke in on the Yorba Linda keeper to bury her 4th goal of the night, a back-breaker.  The Red Mustangs were unable to recover and time finally ran out on them.  An emotional victory for the Blue Mustangs, to be sure, and a feeling of redemption that might make the difference when playoffs open next week.

Record: 11-5-2, 5-3 South Coast

Next event: OC US Lacrosse championship tournament, starts Tuesday

And no matter how hard you swallowed, there was always that possibility that it would not end well.

The Mustangs opened the game as if it was a continuation of Tuesday’s rout of San Clemente; strong in the center circle, controlling draws, and dictating the pace of play.  Patient passing allowed time to set up the offense and, when passes didn’t connect, Alex Miller was tenacious in winning the ground ball battle.  Eventually Melanie Leong found herself in front of the Titan net and promptly gave her team an early lead.  Off of the next draw, Hannah Redwine controlled the ball, carried it into the zone, and found Jenelle Phillips for an easy goal.  After winning a 3rd consecutive draw, crisp ball movement around the offensive zone eventually led to the ball finding its way to Redwine in traffic, where she quickly converted to make the score 3-0.

After a Tesoro time-out, the Titans were able to gain control of the next draw and turned the pressure back onto the Mustang defense.  Niki Neely and Becca Ransom responded with very active defense and solid body position.  Tesoro eventually found an opening to notch their 1st goal.  Redwine continued to assert herself, playing the entire field and always being near the action; her outstanding play to knock down a Titan pass that would lead to a break-out was the first of many Redwine highlights.

As the Mustang defense seemed to solidify around Cyrena Malkowski’s net, their swarming coverage left a back-door opportunity open and the Titans were able to take advantage.

One could feel the momentum swinging as Tesoro started to control the center circle and the midfield play.  A break-away soon led to the tying goal.  Seemingly on queue, Trabuco Hills responded.  Great work from Redwine, Leong, and Hope Dodd kept the ball alive in a scramble, and Miller was able to locate Phillips for another point-blank score.  A burst of speed on the next possession allowed Dodd to beat the Titan defenders before she switched hands and buried her shot.

The Mustangs were starting to struggle with their passing game again, however, and the turnovers started to add up.  Madison DuMond was playing tough in front of Malkowski and helped keep the crease clear, but Tesoro was getting more and more high-quality scoring chances.  The Titans slipped in another goal before Kendall Derbyshire ripped the back of the net with a shot that seemed to have some extra motivation to it.  Another Titan goal preceded Dodd’s hard crease roll that led to a perfect feed to Leong in front of the net.  Malkowski was definitely on her game, making several key saves on shots taken within 5 feet of her crease that would allow Trabuco Hills to take a 7-5 lead into halftime.

Playing with a short bench, the break was badly needed for the Mustangs. As the 2nd half opened , Derbyshire received a great lead pass that led to a break-out from the Mustang end of the field and beat the defenders and the goalie for her 2nd of the game.  Dodd followed that up with a slick goal of her own and the lead was up to 4.

Numerous whistles disrupted the flow of the game and it became more of a plodding effort, which favored Tesoro with their disciplined offensive set-up.  Miller was strong in the midfield and Neely, Ransom, and Jackie Huse were effective in moving that ball out of the defensive zone, but turnovers were still plaguing the Mustangs.  Tesoro clawed back, with Trabuco Hills not being able to hold onto the ball, with 4 unanswered goals, most from right in front of the net, the last one coming after DuMond had made a terrific play to stop yet another point-blank shot but then a defensive breakdown on the other side left a cutting Titan completely free.

Suddenly tied at 9, the Mustangs looked a little shell-shocked.  After a time-out, Dodd looked like a player possessed, using a great individual effort to score and regain the lead for the Mustangs.  Dodd would tally 2 more within the next 90 seconds, giving her 5 for the game, and it seemed that the see-saw had tipped yet again.  But just like the kid that jumps off of the other side when you’re on the high end of the see-saw, a sickening thud came down as the Mustangs suddenly could not win a draw nor could they control the ball when opportunity arose.  Tesoro repeatedly set up camp in the Mustang end and, almost unbelievably, tied the score at 12 with less than 1 minute to play.  Overtime again, the third in recent weeks.

In the 1st overtime period, both teams seemed tentative and there was little or no flow to either offense.  Having received their 4th yellow card of the game, the Titans were playing one person short, which would seem to favor the Mustangs.  But fatigue was becoming a factor as almost every player on the field had logged heavy minutes in the game.  Malkowski was stellar, keeping her team in the game as the Tesoro shot totals increased.  After a scoreless period, the teams switched ends for the 2nd OT.  Both sides picked up their aggressiveness, and it was finally the Titans who broke the tie, scoring with approximately 1 minute remaining for their first lead of the game.  Again, the Mustangs were unable to control the draw, but did finally get the ball back with mere seconds to play.  After a couple of meaningless fouls, undoubtedly designed to slow down play, Redwine was left to attempt a desperation shot from just inside the restraining line, which the Titan goalie handled easily.  The exhausted squad from Trabuco Hills was left to ponder what might have been. It was a valiant effort and their reward should have been greater. These Mustangs have nothing to be ashamed of; they left it all on the field, and no one can ever ask for more from a player.

The Mustangs came out fast and scored off a low shot from Jacquie Cronkrite on a cross goal pass from Shannon Smith.  The Titans came back quickly making it 1-1.  Hannah Moller and Kaylyn Voytilla were putting aggressive pressure on the Titans as a tough defensive struggle began to play out. 

As soon as the Mustangs would score the Titans would manage to tie the game.  Both sides locked down their man-to-man pressure and kept the game tight.  At halftime the score was 3-3.

The momentum seemed to shift in favor of the Titans as the second half began.  The Mustangs would control the ball and threaten the Titan goal for long periods, but could not capitalize on their efforts.  Strong defensive performances from Shelby Siano and Erin Beall could not stem the tide and the Mustangs fell under the pressure in a tough 6-4 loss.
Goal scorers of the game were; Jacquie Cronkrite (2), Kaylyn Voytilla (1) and Shannon Smith (1)

Record: 7-6-2

Next: Host Yorba Linda Friday

The Mustangs came out with a fast passing attack and were transitioning the ball from the midfield with deft accuracy. The first goal came off a pass from Sam Ransom to Ashly Bradshaw in the middle. The Tritons came back quickly to tie the game 1-1. Then the Mustang defense clamped down on the Tritons. Kody Shelton, Rachel Gillett and Erin Beall put tremendous pressure on the Triton attackers forcing turnovers and mistakes. The Mustangs capitalized on the foundation of their tough defense and moved the ball downfield. With the defense holding the trenches, the offense took flight. At halftime the Mustangs were up 7-1.

The second half started and the Mustangs continued with their same relentless passing and accurate shooting. Bailee Griffin assisted twice on cross-goal passes which became the hallmark of the Mustang offense tonight. With the game winding down the Mustangs finished strong with a full field run and goal from Kody Shelton and a final score, as the game expired, by Jackie Cronkrite. The final score was 14-2, Mustangs  – the biggest offensive explosion of the season. Irene Petruzzi played in goal tonight and finished with 8 saves to cap off nearly a perfect game of lacrosse for the Mustangs.

Goal scorers of the game were: Ashly Bradshaw (4), Jackie Cronkrite (3), Kaylyn Voytilla (3), Shannon Smith (2), Erin Beall (1) and Kody Shelton (1).

Record: 7-5-2

Next: Host Tesoro Thursday

Becca Haggard received a beautiful break-out pass from DuMond and beat the Triton goal keeper. That was followed by a goal from right in front of the crease by Megan McIntyre. Off of the following draw, Niki Neely was cross-checked to the ground, sustaining a minor injury to her knee, but play continued and San Clemente was able to close the gap to 1 in an outnumbered attack. However, Hope Dodd took the ball off of the next draw and beat all of the Triton defenders down the field to stretch the advantage back to 2. Soon after, Hannah Redwine was able to work her way free in front of the Triton net to make it 6-3. San Clemente then struck late in the half to make it 6-4 at the break.

As the 2nd half opened, the game all of a sudden looked effortless by the Mustangs.

Phillips netted her 2nd goal off of the opening draw, the Haggard scored her 2nd off of a spectacular pass over the top from Melanie Leong. It was then Leong’s turn to be the goal scorer when Jackie Huse spotted her from behind the net, and Trabuco Hills had a 9-4 lead with less than one minute expired in the half. The momentum continued with goals by Huse and Phillips (her 3rd), then Leong was able to score from her knees after DuMond delivered a pass through traffic. Haggard found McIntyre in front of the net and the Mustangs had scored 7 unanswered goals to open the 2nd half of play. The defense by Trabuco Hills was patient and efficient, with no one really standing out in this effort but excelling in true team fashion. DuMond seemed to get to just about every ground ball, and Huse was active throughout the midfield.

As the Tritons tried to battle back, the Mustangs became content to simply trade goals, McIntyre tallying her 3rd and Becca Ransom, with a rare offensive opportunity, took full advantage and buried a shot behind the San Clemente keeper. Dodd and Huse would each score again, and a nice pass from Alex Miller to Taylor Fox would round out the scoring as the Mustangs cruised to a much-needed 18-8 victory. A great start — the biggest offensive explosion of the season — to the final week of the regular season; with US Lacrosse Orange County playoff seedings being announced on Saturday, each game is important for the Mustangs to ensure their place in the mix.

Record: 10-4-2, 5-2 South Coast

Next game: Host Tesoro Thursday.

Everyone … PLEASE join us in a 30 minute ceremony beginning at 6:30pm for a ceremony to honor our graduating seniors, Class of 2013.

• Alex Miller
• Kelsey Tapia
• Hope Dodd
• Megan McIntyre
• Niki Neeley
• Hannah Redwine
• Becca Ransom

Senior families … please meet at the snack bar at 6:00pm so we can get everyone positioned to begin on time.

If you have not sent your Senior Profiles to SABRINA LOW-DUMOND (zackman99@sbcglobal.net) already, please do so asap. Thanks.

We hope to have great participation in this event by both teams. We are so proud of the commitment and dedication our Seniors and their families have shown over the years to the Girls Lacrosse Program. We look forward to seeing you ALL at the ceremony this Friday!

• Trabuco 5, CdM 4
• Foothill 3, Downey 1
• Trabuco 3, Los Al 3
• Foothill 3, CdM 2
• Los Al 4, Downey 2
• Trabuco 3, Foothill 2
• Los Al 6, CdM 3
• Trabuco 3, Downey 1

Next JV game: Tuesday at San Clemente

Alyssa Ortega scored a late goal to knot the game. El Toro had defeated the Mustangs, 7-5, earlier this season.

Record: 6-5-2

Next: At San Clemente Tuesday

In what had become a pretty lop-sided match-up – El Toro had won the last seven meetings in a row, including a frustrating 13-9 loss earlier this season – the Varsity teams took the field looking to keep hopes alive for a berth in the upcoming CIF play-offs.

As play opened, both squads seemed tight. A lot of possession time in both offensive zones went unrewarded, and the Mustangs were their own worst enemy with a bad case of the “dropsies,” resulting in a number of unforced turnovers. After over 5 minutes of futility, El Toro was finally able to break the drought to take a not-so-early lead. On the following possession, a breakdown in the Trabuco Hills midfield led to a quick second goal, and memories of the previous contest started to creep back into the mind. Kendall Derbyshire erased those thoughts momentarily with a quick burst of speed that put her in on goal for an unobstructed shot to close the gap to one. Good midfield pressure ensued and the Mustangs seemed to be back on their game. But El Toro would answer quickly to make it 3-1, then a costly turnover led to a foul in the open field; leaving the slot wide open in front of Cyrena Malkowski’s goal, the Chargers took advantage to stretch their lead to three.

After a time-out, the Mustangs continued playing out-of-synch, mishandling numerous balls and not connecting on their passes. Finally settling things down, Trabuco Hills was able to establish an extended offensive sequence around the Charger net which lasted nearly 2 minutes; Janelle Phillips eventually found a seam in the defense and scored to get the Mustangs offense moving again. Soon after, Alex Miller was the recipient of a loose ball after a frantic scramble in front of the El Toro net and slipped in a quick shot to, again, narrow the deficit to one. Play would continue to ebb and flow, with lots of back and forth action and tough battle being fought all over the field. Hope Dodd was finally able to break free and beat the Charger goalie to tie the score at 4-4, the Mustangs having battled back with 3 unanswered goals before halftime.

The second half started out much like the first, with the Chargers taking a slow methodical approach to the game after the furious pace set in the last 8 minutes of that first half. After 4½ minutes of patiently passing the ball and staying on the perimeter, El Toro seemed to wear down the Trabuco Hills defenders and retook the lead. Becca Ransom, back from an ankle injury, had started off the game somewhat tentatively, but after getting her ankle re-taped she began to get back into the flow of the game and seemed back to full speed by halftime; a great play by Ransom to knock down a perfect feed in front of the Mustang net seemed to reawaken her teammates and their determination. Another long period of time – 6 minutes – ticked off the clock before Marina Sandoval was finally able to solve the El Toro net minder, who had turned away several quality Mustang shot attempts, to tie the game at 6. Sloppy passing by both teams was starting to limit scoring opportunities, but both goalies were definitely on their game. The contest was turning into a track meet, with both squads running up and down the field and reversing turnovers the other way.

After yet another 6 minutes had passed. El Toro was able to slip a shot past Malkowski to take the lead again, and then followed that up with another score to stretch their advantage out to 2. The gritty Mustangs would not give up. Megan McIntyre scored to give the team hope, and then Derbyshire, with time running down, found a way to get the ball behind the El Toro goalie and the score was tied! For the second week in a row, a game was going into overtime.

The 1st overtime pace slowed down once again, but this time in the Mustangs favor. A yellow card against the Chargers left Trabuco Hills with an advantage, and they were finally able to capitalize when Dodd squirted free to net her 2nd goal of the game. There were not many other opportunities for either team during the remainder of the 1st OT, and after switching ends for the 2nd OT the Chargers started exhibiting uncharacteristic desperation. The Mustangs were able to withstand the push, however, and Trabuco Hills was able to come away with a very gratifying 8-7 victory, their first over the Chargers since 2008.

Record: 9-4-2, 4-2 South Coast

Next game: Tuesday at San Clemente

The Mustangs gained possession from the draw and quickly passed their way down the field where Ashly Bradshaw’s shot on goal and just missed off the top bar.  The Diablos took possession and scored quickly making the game 1-0.  The Diablos won the following draw and forced the Mustangs back on their heels.  The Mustangs showed their strongest defensive performance of the season.  For over 10 minutes they walled off the Diablos and stopped every incoming opportunity.  However, the pressure eventually wore on the defense and the Mustangs fell behind 5-2.  Then in a late first-half surge the Mustangs continued to attack through a fast, short passing game and came within 1 point of the Diablos.  The first half closed at 5-4.

The second half started with the Diablos pressuring on offense again.  The ground balls seemed to favor the home team and the Mustangs again fell behind with the Diablos leading 7-4.  Fueled by a strong defensive performance the Mustang offense began to find holes in the Diablo defense.  Quick goals from Jacquie Cronkrite and Caroline Rabourn brought the Mustangs within one goal of the Diablos.  The final minutes belonged to the Mustangs and they just missed the tying goal with 42 seconds remaining on the clock.  The Diablos won the game 7-6, but the Mustangs continue to improve with their passing and strong defense.

Goal scorers of the game were Jacquie Cronkrite (2), Irene Petruzzi (2), Ashly Bradshaw (1) and Caroline Rabourn (1).  Sam Ransom finished with 9 saves.

Record: 6-5-1

Next: Hosting Dana Hills Tuesday

Things started quickly for the Mustangs. Following a speedy run off of the opening draw, Alex Miller drew a free position and promptly put her team ahead, 1-0. At the other end of the field, Cyrena Malkowski then turned away a point blank shot and the confidence started flowing. Melanie Leong followed that up with a pretty goal after a great pass from Hannah Redwine. With the Mustangs shorthanded due to injuries sustained in the overtime win on Tuesday night – Becca Ransom out with an ankle injury, Delaney Shelton out with a concussion, and Jackie Huse nursing a leg injury – the line-up looked a little different as Coach Scott Leong looked to find the right mix.

Initially, it was defense by committee, with Miller, Kelsey Tapia, Cheyenne Ochoa, and Niki Neeley all exhibiting great tenacity in keeping the Diablos away from goalie Cyrena Malkowski’s crease. Neeley’s performance again stood out, asserting herself on every ball carrier, fighting for and winning loose balls, and even drawing a charge to force a turnover. But the magic did not last as a turnover off of a bad pass resulted in Mission Viejo’s first goal. After another score tied the game, Kendall Derbyshire buried her first goal of the game to regain the lead.

No strangers to physical play, Mission Viejo picked up their aggressiveness and put the Mustangs on their heels momentarily. Neeley was the only player to respond with a strong-yet-legal presence of her own, letting the Diablos know they would not be able to push anyone around. Two quick goals put Mission Viejo out front, but a yellow card halted their momentum. Hope Dodd promptly found the back of the Diablo net. In the center circle, it was becoming apparent that the Diablos’ 6-foot tall center was a problem as she was dominating the majority of the draws. And with Mission Viejo settling into their offensive rhythm, they once again seized the lead. Megan McIntyre scored but Mission Viejo bounced right back when the Mustang defender could not keep up with the Diablo attacker. McIntyre answered with a brilliant heads-up play from the side of the net, snagging a rebound off of a saved shot and immediately depositing it behind the Diablo keeper. Mission Viejo was pressing back, but Neeley and Madison DuMond were working really hard on defense and, with Malkowski’s efficient efforts behind them, the Diablos were denied. Soon after, Dodd netted her 2nd goal to finally put the Mustangs back into the lead. Janelle Phillips picked up the ball after a turnover off of the ensuing draw and was able to take it down and beat the Mission Viejo net minder as time was running down. Halftime found Trabuco Hills leading, 8-6.

Once play resumed, so did the aggressive play. Phillips soon found the back of the net for her 2nd goal to stretch the lead to 3. Playing another strong game, Miller was all over the field, doing a great job on both ends. A Trabuco Hills yellow card gave the Diablos some new life as they were able to score 2 quick goals, but the Mustangs intentionally slowed things down and, after an extremely patient offensive set, Phillips was able to score her 3rdconsecutive goal. After another Mission Viejo score, the pace began to increase again. Dodd did a very nice job of slowing things back down, eventually spotting Derbyshire breaking toward an opening in the Diablo defense and delivering a pass for a quick shot and score. The Diablos clawed back to get the deficit back to 1, but then a chaotic sequence around the Diablo net finally produced a loose ball that Melanie Leong scooped up and subsequently beat the Mission Viejo defense and goalie to give the Mustangs a little breathing room.

Regaining possession again, Trabuco Hills was able to slow the pace down even further and eventually run out the final 3 minutes of the game for a 12-10 South Coast League victory.

Record: 8-4-2, 3-2 South Coast

Next: Hosting Dana Hills Tuesday