Girls soccer: Maria Carrillo 2, Casa Grande 0

<p>Check off one goal in the Maria Carrillo girls' bid for a return to the section soccer playoffs after winning, 2-0, at Casa Grande on Wednesday and avenging a string of defeats to the Gauchos.</p><p>Most satisfied were a trio of Pumas senior starters who had never come out on top in a contest with the Gauchos, the latest being a North Coast Section large-school semifinal loss last season.</p><p>“I couldn't think about anything other than this game today in school. It was very exciting to beat them,” said Maria Carrillo defender Yvonne Metz.</p><p>Metz and fellow senior backfield anchor Kendra Corsberg kept Casa Grande largely in check with help across the midfield, clearing what scoring chances the Gauchos could muster in front of senior goalie Emily Sellner.</p><p>Controlling long stretches of the game with strong passing through the middle and give-and-go runs, Maria Carrillo scored in close twice in the first half and kept pressuring Casa Grande in the second half.</p><p>While the Gauchos played even in the second half, they were a step slow and paid for defensive lapses early in the game.</p><p>“It was a disappointing night. You can't dig a 2-0 hole and then start playing,” said Casa Grande coach Vinnie Cortezzo. “Carrillo outworked us. They wanted this game more.”</p><p>A tireless offensive push from Sara Tosti and Katie Mohr supported by strong midfield play by Katie Prosser, Cami Rencken and Meghan Harrigan often put Casa Grande on its heels.</p><p>With both teams beginning to break a sweat on the warm night, Maria Carrillo scored on a set play with the ball bouncing their way. Corsberg made a strong throw in and the ball found Tosti, who punched in the goal.</p><p>“She's our cannon,” Tosti said of Corsberg. “The ball just kind of hung there. It was surreal.”</p><p>Casa Grande responded with some of its better touches and passes in the contest. The Gauchos' best scoring chance came when Noelle Laprevotte took a pass and made a run right before serving to Jordyn Enes who put a shot off the left goal post.</p><p>More often, Casa Grande's long balls went wide or were cut off my Maria Carrillo's defenders cutting off angles and winning the majority of loose balls.</p><p>The Pumas' second goal came when a long shot by Tosti from the right angle eluded the Casa Grande goalkeeper and Prosser banged in the loose ball.</p><p>Throughout the game, Maria Carrillo made long crossing passes to set up one-on-one and two-and-two advantages.</p><p>Mohr was the primary target on a handful of such plays in the second half. The powerful forward would have had a goal or two if not for some close marking by Casa Grande defender Taylor Derby, who always seemed to be in the middle of a Gauchos' defensive stop.</p><p>But the Pumas' defense was equal to the task. Twice, the Gauchos put passes in deep for good shots only to be thwarted by blocks and clearing kicks back up field.</p><p>That the Pumas won with coach Debra LaPrath away following her mother's death perhaps shows that Maria Carillo has come together early as a team and could be tough to beat. They were Wednesday.</p><p>“We were prepared. They wanted it, preseason or not,” said assistant coach Ashley Lowery.</p>