| | Published February 26th, 2014
| Girls' Soccer Strong in NCS Playoffs
| | By Scott Wu |  | | Hailey Lyon |
With the competitive regular season finished, Lamorinda girls' soccer programs look to earn the North Coast Section title. Miramonte, who finished 13-2-1, won the DFAL championship and earned the No. 1 seed. Campolindo, 12-3-1 on the season, followed closely behind as the No. 3 seed. Both teams advanced to the semifinals to be played tonight. Despite rivaling both Miramonte and Campolindo in thrilling regular season games, Acalanes did not advance to the 16-team playoff.
In the first round on Feb. 19, Miramonte cruised to an 8-0 victory against No. 16 Moreau Catholic.
"We played great soccer, and took care of the ball on every possession," said head coach Mohamed Mohamed.
Mohamed named three standout players who have contributed extensively to the team chemistry. Goalkeeper Mali Tehaney, center-back Jane Fessenden, and Megan Reid each add a key component to the attack. Mohamed said Tehaney is the centerpiece to the backfield while Fessenden is the backbone of the defense. At forward, Reid is a key piece of the offense. Each played well in the first round victory.
Moving on to the next round, the Matadors played No. 8 Alhambra, beating the Bulldogs 4-1. Reid recorded two of the goals, while Tehaney and Fessenden controlled the tempo of the game defensively. Under their leadership, the team can focus on planning ahead. "The strong senior class always plans the next possession," Mohamed explained.
Miramonte will take on the No. 4 Las Lomas Knights in a semifinal game Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
Campolindo, who was matched up against No. 14 Tennyson, also triumphed 5-1.
While content with his win, head coach Ernesto Silva said that it is important to stay focused. "We need to make sure we stay in the moment and not allow the excitement to overwhelm us," he added. "It is key that we maintain our composure and focus for the duration of the tournament."
The Cougars did just that in their next contest, as they secured their spot in the semifinals with a victory over Northgate
Silva said his team knew what to expect against Northgate, their second round match-up. "We played Northgate earlier in the season, we knew that they are well coached and have the ability to challenge us in all aspects of the game," he said.
Campolindo's squad narrowly defeated the Broncos by a score of 2-1.
The Cougars have a specific strategy for their playoff run. "We will need to establish the pace and energy that suits our game early on; it is best if we can force the opposition to make the adjustments," Silva explained.
The Cougars travel to face No. 2 Bishop O'Dowd on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
|
 | | Mali Tehaney Photos Gint Federas |  | | Jane Fessenden | | | | | | | |
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA