Lady Ranger kickers falter vs. Greyhounds
By Misty Volaski

Last year, Atascadero's varsity girls' soccer squad took Nordhoff out of the running in CIF in the first round. So it was no surprise that the Rangers were prepared Saturday in their game against the Greyhounds.
However, the disadvantages of having to play a powerful Division III team, combined with Nordhoff's lack of players due to illness and injury, allowed the Greyhounds to win, 3-1.
The score did not, said NHS head coach Pete Christl, reflect the way Nordhoff played in the game. The Rangers, he added, had posession of the ball about 60 percent of the time, and the goals against Nordhoff were mostly because of unfortunate circumstances like the sun in the NHS goalie's eyes.
Ally Ttaylor scored the lone NHS goal of the game off a penalty kick. She and Ana Levin provided "lots of pressuree up top against Atascadero," Christl noted.
The mental injury of the Atascadero loss was the only thing smarting four days later, as Nordhoff took to the field with a teamful of healthy players - for the first time in several weeks.
The Rangers came out strong, keeping Santa Paula's defense busy with the game being played mostly in Cardinal territory. Nordhoff's defense, led by co-captain Mary Ann Christl, stopped Santa Paula in their tracks, resulting in zero attempts on the Ranger goal and a very bored Nordhoff goalie.
Not that that's necessarily a bad thing.
Goals for the lady Rangers came from Linsdsey Owen (two), Jill Taylor (one), Monica Kenton (one), Jessica Johnsen (one), and Heather Sparks (one).
Coach Christl commented on the ability of midfielders Ally Taylor, Sarah Stoltz and Holly Cattoni to "constantly switch the direction of the attack, keeping Santa Paula's defense unbalanced."
Nordhoff's next game will be today at home against Oaks Christian at 3 p.m.
Though they are technically ranked seventh, one below Nordhoff, in CIF's Division V, they are considered one of the best teams in the league - and the prime candidate for robbing Nordhoff of its fifth consecutive Frontier League championship.
Christl said the game was sure to be exciting: a real "showdown."

Girls' soccer, Division V, as of Jan. 27:
1. La Salle
2. Valley Christian/C
3. Oak Park
4. Pacifica/GG
5. L.A. Baptist
6. Nordhoff
7. Oaks Christian
8. Marymount
9 Garden Grove
10. St. Bonaventure
© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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