Golden goal
Moorpark beats Agoura on sudden-death score, advances to CIF final vs. Thousand Oaks
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

OH, YEAH- Moorpark High's Kaitlin Walters, No. 14, hugs Ariana Martinez following Walters' game-winning score against Agoura in the CIF-SS Division II girls soccer semifinals.

After playing to a draw in their two regularseason games this season, it was no surprise that the Agoura and Moorpark high school girls' soccer teams had to go to suddendeath overtime to determine the winner of Tuesday's CIFSouthern Section Division II semifinal match at MHS.

By virtue of a golden goal by Musketeer senior Kaitlin Walters eight minutes into sudden-death, Moorpark will be one of two Marmonte League teams represented in the Division II final Saturday night at Downey High. Game time is set for 8 p.m.

Thousand Oaks, which beat Walnut 1-0 on the road Tuesday to improve to 25-5-1, will be the Musketeers' opponent.

With the loss, Agoura finished its campaign with an 18-3-5 record. Moorpark improves to 11-4-9.

Agoura had its chances to win in regulation but could not convert. In the 43rd minute, junior Michelle Manning's shot was saved by MHS sophomore goalkeeper Alisa Reich.

Photos by JANN HENDRY/Acorn Newspapers JOINING THE PARTY- As Kaitlin Walters and Ariana Martinez embrace, their Musketeer teammate Stacey Fujikuni, left, sprints over to join the celebration. MHS plays Thousand Oaks Saturday at Downey High in the CIF-Southern Section Division II title match. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Reich saved the day once again for Moorpark in the closing minutes of regulation when she made a diving save to her left off a shot by Charger sophomore Brittany Held.

After the two teams were held scoreless in the first two 10-minute overtime periods, Moorpark made a final push to end the game before a possible shootout.

"We decided we wanted to go for the win with about three minutes left in the first suddendeath overtime," Moorpark head coach Frank Paletta said. "We committed a few more players to the front than we usually do. It was an educated gamble that paid off."

Walters' goal came via a throw-in by MHS junior Amanda Viescas. After Viescas' toss, Walters got a touch on the ball near the net and used a bicycle shot to put the ball past Agoura goalkeeper Gina Goryoka for the win.

"Right before I scored, Coach Paletta and Cynthia (Rodriquez) were telling me where to stand on the throw-in," Walters said. "The ball came toward me but then seemed to go in the other direction.

"I told myself that I had to at least get a foot on it. When I did and I scored, I just couldn't believe it. I was so excited for this team, since we've worked so hard to get here."

Paletta said the goal couldn't have been scored by a more dedicated player.

"It was a well-deserved goal for her," Paletta said. "She's never quit, and she's a tough grunt-worker. It's sweet justice that she was able to be rewarded this way."

Although Moorpark has won four postseason games, Paletta said the Musketeers have been in a playoff mode since the last five games of the regular season.

"We literally needed to win four of our last five games or we were going home," Paletta said. "In a way, we've played nine straight playoff games."

Paletta's daughter, MHS cocaptain Kaitlin Paletta, said a team meeting before the last two weeks of the season changed the Musketeers' attitude.

"At practice we were just going through the motions, and I kind of just went off on them," the younger Paletta said.

"We weren't playing up to our potential, and I let them know it. It was amazing afterwards what happened. I've never played on a high school team with as much guts as this one has."

It was a tough exit for the Chargers, second-place finishers in the Marmonte League.

"Today we ended up playing their game of soccer," Agoura head coach Mike Skene said. "We generally rely on speed and playing the game on the ground. This is a tough loss, but they're all tough."

Although the Chargers' season is now over, Skene said he was proud of his team's performance this season.

"When I look back on this year a few weeks from now, the season will be a blur to me," Skene said. "Mostly because this team was so fast on the field, they were a blur."

Skene took pride in the fact that three Marmonte League teams made the semifinals.

"I've been saying for years that our league has the toughest schedule in the section," Skene said. "I haven't always been right, but we sure made a case this season with three teams making the semifinals."

This Musketeer squad is the first girls' soccer team in school history to make the finals. Earlier this season, Moorpark lost twice to Thousand Oaks by scores of 21 and 2-0.

After the game, Kaitlin Paletta talked about the team's fan support in their last three games.

"I didn't think this many people cared about Moorpark soccer," Paletta said while looking into the stands. "It's been great to win three straight games in front of them. Hopefully, we can win one more."

Looking ahead to Saturday night's 8 p.m. showdown in Downey, Thousand Oaks head coach Geoff Raives said the teams' third matchup of the season will be the most grueling.

"This is bigger than league, and I don't think anyone has an advantage going into this third game," Raives said.

"Yes, we beat them twice, and we know a lot about their team from the regular season. However, they've obviously made some adjustments, and they're a different team since the playoffs started. They're very talented, fast and well-coached."