McKINLEYVILLE — One game into the 2006 fall sports season, the Clear Lake High School varsity girls” soccer team has its first shutout. And its first win.
Behind two goals from Kaila Sterbank and three assists by Karina Martinez, the Cardinals cruised past McKinleyville 4-0 in a non-league game on Friday in McKinleyville.
Sterbank scored each of Clear Lake”s two goals in the first half, though the second one was a bit unexpected, according to coach Paul Larrea.
Sterbank”s shot was headed directly for the McKinleyville keeper, who appeared to be in a good position to block or deflect it, but the ball had other ideas.
“It had a lot of back spin and it just spun away from her (and into the net),” Larrea said.
Clear Lake added insurance goals in the second half, the first by Haley Sanderson and another by Julie Jackson.
“It was nice to see her get one because she had been playing so well,” Larrea said of Jackson.
Anchored by marking backs Jen Carley and Rachel Shryock and sweeper Molly Ryan, the Clear Lake defense stymied the Panthers” offense all day. Another key contributor was Anise Green, who was making her varsity debut as a stopper/sweeper.
“She did a really good job her first time out,” Larrea said of Green, the only sophomore on the Clear Lake roster.
“Our defense was very tenacious which is what you would expect from such a veteran group,” Larrea said.
All 16 Cardinals who were eligible to play in the game logged minutes on the field.
“One of the strengths or our team with all the returning players is depth,” Larrea said. “There”s not a lot of drop-off in our rotations.”
JV girls” soccer
Clear Lake 7, McKinleyville 0
At McKinleyville, in junior varsity action Friday, Clear Lake”s JV squad improved to 4-1 on the season with a 7-0 win. Annie Gall and Mori Jordan scored two goals apiece for the Cardinals and Brianna Martinez, Tara Bastian and Monique Liddiard each had one.
Liddiard also had two assists while Gall, Ashley Tipton and Elena Tipton each had one.
Martinez and Bastian scored in the first half to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
“The other team didn”t have a lot of subs, but we did dominate, definitely,” coach Alice Holmes said.
Both Clear Lake teams play today. The varsity takes on Ferndale in Ferndale, while the JVs play Fortuna in Fortuna.
