CLOVERDALE — The Middletown Mustangs put to good use all they had learned about the Cloverdale Eagles in two previous meetings to win 3-1 and take the rubber match in the season series between the two North Central League I girls” soccer co-champions on Tuesday in Cloverdale.
Middletown and Cloverdale finished 13-1 in the NCL I standings this season, each losing on the other”s homefield in their two league meetings. Tuesday”s playoff game was to determine which school would get the league”s automatic playoff berth into the North Coast Section playoffs, which begin next week.
Barring something unforeseen, Middletown (17-2) should land the No. 2 seed behind No. 1 Sonoma Academy when the section holds its at-large and seeding meeting on Sunday. Sonoma Academy, the team the Mustangs beat 2-0 in last year”s sectional championship game, is the only other team besides Cloverdale that has beaten the Mustangs this season — 4-2 back on Aug. 29 in Santa Rosa.
“We would love to get another crack at them,” Middletown coach Louise Owens said of the Coyotes.
Middletown, a winner of 10 straight since losing 4-2 to Cloverdale on Sept. 24, did all of its scoring in the first 22 minutes against the Eagles. Senior forward Hannah Diaz, who was shut out in both league games by the Cloverdale defense, broke loose in a big way. Her first goal, which was unassisted, put Middletown ahead 1-0 just three minutes into the game. She scored again in the 14th minute to make it 2-0 and her third goal made it 3-0 at the 22-minute mark. Rosie Emerson and Ashley Hart assisted on the second and third goals.
Cloverdale”s lone goal came in the final minute of the first half.
Playing the same formation they used in the second half on Oct. 17 when they scored three second-half goals to beat Cloverdale 3-2 at Middletown, the Mustangs went on to hand Cloverdale only its second loss of the season.
“The formation we used today was the one we used in the second half the last time we played them and they didn”t adjust to it,” Owens said of the Eagles.
Middletown goalie Jessie Flynn anchored another strong outing by the Mustangs” defense, according to Owens.
“Jessie Flynn played a great game in goal,” Owens said. “She had a couple of really nice saves.”
Karina Vargas was another defensive standout, according to Owens, while Emerson and Caitlin Lemoine played solidly in the midfield.
“And of course Hannah played great,” Owens said of her star forward, now with 53 goals on the season.
