Girls Soccer: Titans Hit Their Stride

Talent has never been an issue for the Titans. Wins over the Rio Hondo League’s elite, well, that’s a different story.

For all of its skill, the  girls soccer team entered Wednesday’s match against La Cañada winless in three games against the top league competition. Their game against the Spartans marked the Titans’ final opportunity of the regular season to score a win over a ranked team, and they definitely made the most of their opportunity.

Senior Annie Wenzlau set up two first half goals as San Marino jumped on the Spartans early before holing off a late charge for a 2-1 victory over first-place La Cañada .

“It’s a big win,” Jaime Acuña said. “We definitely wanted to get this game. We let a couple of games slip that we know we can do better with, unfortunately we can’t get those back. So we have to continue to play and take it a game at a time and hopefully that lands us in the playoffs.”

It didn’t take long for San Marino (12-3-2, 4-2-1 in the RHL) to get on the board against the Spartans. The Titans came out of the gates in attack mode, taking the action right to a La Cañada unit that starts five freshmen.

Wenzlau stole the ball deep in Spartans territory and cut toward the middle of the field as La Cañada (10-5-1, 5-1-1) collapsed around her. Wenzlau then crossed the ball to sophomore Alex Schuster who rifled a pass to Hope Welder on the right sideline. Welder put the ball in the back of the net to complete the play and put her team up 1-0.

Fifteen minutes later the Titans were on the charge again, and again it was Wenzlau making it all happen. Wenzlau, who recently committed to play at Saint Mary’s next year, received a through pass along the right sideline and immediately turned upfield in transition. Seconds later she sent a cross toward the near post right to an open Hayley Thompson. Thompson easily flicked the ball into the goal for a 2-0 lead.

Those two goals were indicative of much of the first half. The Titans were on offense for most of the period (outshooting La Cañada 6-2), and Wenzlau constantly found herself at the center of all the action.

“Annie is such a special player,” Acuña said. “She’ll go at you and she’ll find holes that she’ll pick a part whether it’s dribbling or passing. If you give her a hole, you give her space she’s going to take advantage.”

La Cañada showed glimpses of life in the 26th and 31st minute when senior forward Megan Siepler managed two shots on goal, and the Spartans grabbed the game’s momentum in the second half as they exploited the middle of the San Marino defense with counterattacks.

In the 55th minute all those counters paid off when junior Morgan Rittichier broke free and scored to make it a 2-1 game.

“That’s a lot of the way we’ve got to play,” Spartans coach Louie Bilowitz said. “We’re playing for counters.”

The Spartans had a couple of chances to tie the game, but their best opportunity at a goal was thwarted when Titans goalie Carlee Beckler charged out of the net to the ball away from danger.

The Spartans’ loss sets up a showdown with South Pasadena on Friday that should determine the league champion.

“All (the loss) really did to us was we can’t afford a tie anymore against South Pasadena we have to win,” Bilowitz said. “But if we win on Friday we win the league assuming we win out.”

For the Titans, though, the win is a momentum builder for a future playoff push. Bilowitz said after the game that he thinks the Titans are the most talented team in the league, and Wenzlau said this is this year’s team is best squad she’s been a part of at San Marino.

“I think this game brought it all together,” Wenzlau said.

The Titans play at Monrovia on Friday.