A lightning delay Thursday afternoon came about one-half minute too late for the Alexander Dawson girls soccer team.
Seconds before officials sent both teams scurrying for cover because of a lightning flash, Fountain Valley's Hannah Cain scored on a long direct kick that gave the visiting Danes a commanding two-goal lead, keying their 4-1 victory in a first-round Class 3A state playoff game.
"It was an important goal for us," Fountain Valley coach Paul Kim said. "(Hannah's) a ninth-grader, which I'm very happy about, and she's stepped up for us all year long and scored when we needed her to."
Cain's goal took most of the suspense out of a tightly contested game.
After the Mustangs were called for a foul about 35 yards from the goal, Cain drilled a beautiful direct kick that curved toward the Alexander Dawson net. Keeper Carrie Barber tried to punch it over the goal, but the ball bounced back into the net to give Fountain Valley (13-2) a 3-1 lead in the 59th minute.
"(Cain)'s done that several times this year," Kim said. "She actually usually places it a little bit better than that one."
Alexander Dawson wasted little time getting started, scoring 16 seconds into the game when junior midfielder MarianneClausen found herself deep in Danes territory and ripped a shot into the back of the net. The early deficit did not deter Fountain Valley, which was focused on playing its game.
"It's not the first time we've been down early in a game," said Cain, the team leader with 16 goals. "We just do what we do, get organized and figure it out."
The Danes scored the equalizer in the 11th minute when Olivia Storm dribbled through the Mustangs defense and pounded home the ball.
Fountain Valley scored the winner with 11 minutes to play in the first half when Cain sent a long ball ahead to a streaking Ann-MarieWalker on the right side.
Walker was able to hold off a defender enough to get deep into the Alexander Dawson goal box before rocketing a shot into the net.
Clare Ormesher closed the scoring for the Danes in the 62nd minute. |
After a short Alexander Dawson goal kick landed in front of her, Ormesher dribbled in almost unopposed and sneaked a shot inside the near post.
After their early success, the Mustangs (7-6) could not score again. They had a couple of good opportunities but fired balls wide or were stopped by keeper Ashanti Stafford. |
"We had so many chances and so many crosses, we just couldn't finish them," Clausen said. "In a state game you have to finish the chances you get, and we just didn't do it."

Fountain Valley...... 2 2 - 4
Alexander Dawson......1 0 - 1

Goals - AD, Marianne Clausen, 1st minute; FV, Olivia Storm, 11th minute; FV, Ann-Marie Walker, 30th minute; FV, Hannah Cain, 59th minute; FV, Clare Ormesher, 62nd minute.
Shots on goal - FV, 4-6 10; AD, 2-2 4. Saves - FV (Ashanti Stafford 3, Sarah Hinnegan) 3; AD (Carrie Barber 6) 6. Corner kicks - FV, 5-0 5; AD, 0-4 4.