Erik Boal
FLINTRIDGE PREP -- After 15 matches, the Flintridge Prep girls' soccer
team is exactly where it had aspired to be at the beginning of the
season.
Undefeated in the Prep League, unbeaten in nonleague and tournament
matches and ranked among the best teams in CIF Southern Section Division
V.
So despite starting Saturday's league match against Westridge with
only 12 players and finishing it with 11, the Rebels extended their
streak to 17 matches without a loss, posting a convincing 4-0 win at
Flintridge Prep.
"I'm happy with today's results," Morphy said. "We had four freshmen
and three sophomores on the field the entire match and they did just
fine. We got an opportunity to score some goals and we could've scored a
bunch more, but we hit a lot of posts."
Forward Jennai Taylor, one of the best sophomores in the area, hit
five posts by herself as Flintridge Prep (12-0-3, 5-0 in league) kept
constant pressure on Westridge goalkeeper Lisa Paez.
But Taylor found other ways to contribute for the Rebels -- ranked No.
2 in the division -- as she assisted on two goals, including Michelle
Lim's rebound follow-up in the 75th minute.
The rest of Flintridge Prep's scoring came from a familiar source in
forward Jenny Rowland.
The senior, who missed some of the Rebels' nonleague matches because
of commitments to her club team in the prestigious Surf Cup Tournament,
has recently regained the form that made her the area's leading goal
scorer last season.
Rowland tallied a hat trick Saturday, including two first-half goals,
to give her seven goals in Flintridge Prep's past six matches. She has
also added four assists during that stretch, all against league
opponents.
The senior's third goal was perhaps her best of the season, as the
forward took a ball that was cleared by the Tiger defense and blasted it
from 40 yards out for a 3-0 lead.
Westridge (7-7-2, 4-2 in league) had limited opportunities against a
Rebel defense that featured mostly midfielders, due to injuries and
schedule conflicts limiting other players' availability.
Senior co-captain Danielle Ziemann anchored the defensive effort,
which allowed only two first-half shots on goal against junior goalkeeper
Kate Boswell.
Boswell, who sat out Tuesday's win against Mayfield with a right
forearm injury, has made her recovery in time for an important league
showdown at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at Pasadena Poly.
"It looks like Kate is going to be fine and the rest of the team is
relatively healthy," Morphy said. "Looking back, it was probably good
that we missed those two matches [against Mayfield and California Academy
of Math and Sciences, scheduled for Thursday and Friday] because it gave
us time to heal."
Pasadena Poly is ranked No. 1 in the division and is last season's
league champion and division runner-up, but Morphy said his team is
eagerly awaiting the challenge.
"[Pasadena] Poly is a good team and they should be favored," Morphy
said. "But our girls feel as if we have a good shot at winning. The only
way we can beat them is if we're at full strength."
