LOS ALAMITOS >> The Temecula Valley girls soccer team had won by wide margins in its three playoff games leading up to the CIF SS Division 1 semifinal against Los Alamitos on Wednesday at Los Alamitos High School.
The Griffins managed to do what no other team could against the Bears – keep the Bears from scoring for 80 minutes.
But Peyton Bundy’s goal five minutes into overtime was all the Bears needed to come away with a 1-0 victory over the Griffins.
Temecula Valley (20-1-1), the No. 2 seed, will play at No.1 seed Santiago of Corona in the Division 1 championship game Saturday.
Temecula Valley’s girls celebrate their overtime win during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s Juliet Thrapp battles a Los Alamitos defender during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s Chaliegh gains control of the ball in front of Los Alamitos’ Sofia Burgarin (21) during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ Delilah Kishek (17) defends Temecula Valley’s Camryn Vehlo during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s Sarah Assumma steals the ball from Los Alamitos’ Leilani Ngo-harris (19) during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ Katie Piburn (4) does the splits going for the ball against Temecula Valley’s Kate Jacobsen during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s Kate Jacobsen goes up a ball during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ Kayla Kanaly (29) and Los Alamitos’ Delilah Kishek (17) walk away after Temecula Valley’s girls won in overtime during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ girls comfort each other after losing in overtime during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ Amelia Abusham kicks the ball away from the goal preventing Millikan’s Natalie Paulson from trying to score in Los Alamitos, CA, on Wednesday, February 16, 2022. (Photo by Tracey Roman, Contributing Photographer)
Los Alamitos’ Sanaa Guyness (25) plays tight defense on Temecula Valley’s Juliet Thrapp during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s girls soccer team got an overtime time win against Los Alamitos???girls during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s Chaliegh and Los Alamitos’ Delilah Kishek (17) battle for the ball during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Los Alamitos’ Aurora Schuck (1) one of her many saves during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s girls celebrate their overtime win during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
Temecula Valley’s girls celebrate their overtime win during the game between Los Alamitos High and Temecula Valley High in the semifinals of the CIF-SS Division 1 girls soccer playoffs at Los Alamitos HS. Wednesday, February 13. (Photo by Michael Goulding)
The Sharks defeated No.4 seed Villa Park, 2-1, in overtime in the other semifinal Wednesday.
“I think it was a very even match,” Bears coach Jennifer Guin said. “Both teams were phenomenal. It was a lot of fun facing them twice.”
The Bears also defeated the Griffins, 2-1, on Dec. 18.
Los Alamitos (18-5-5) still qualifies for the CIF Southern California Regional tournament and will find out who their first-round opponent is when the brackets are released Sunday.
“They defend well,” Los Alamitos coach Pat Rossi said of the Bears. “It could have gone either way. It was a semifinal-type of game. It played out that way.”
Four minutes into overtime, Los Alamitos goalkeeper Aurora Schuck had made a nice save, diving to her left to stop a blast by Natalie Mitchell from 20 yards out.
A minute later, the Bears were awarded a corner kick.
Mitchell made the kick, sending the ball into the box, where it ricocheted around and wound up in front of Bundy, who scored from about 15 yards out.
“Nat (Mitchell) hit a beautiful ball,” Bundy said. “We’d been trying to score on corners all game We had many opportunities. I was just waiting for the right opportunity.”
Los Alamitos controlled the ball through most of the second half by dribbling well and making good passes.
The Griffins had multiple opportunities on corner kicks and throw-ins and came close many times in regulation and overtime, but just couldn’t quite finish off the set pieces with a with a high-percentage shot.
“We earned them (the set pieces), but they defend well,” Rossi said. “They are a good team.”
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The Bears won their three playoff games coming into the semifinals by scores of 8-1, 4-1 and 4-0.
Los Alamitos had won five games in row and 15 of 16 prior to the semifinal.
