Soccer Squads Drop Openers

The first game of the season served as a litmus test for the Palisades High girls varsity soccer team. The Dolphins came within a dorsal fin of winning their first City Section upper division title last winter but they’re a new team with a new coach and Monday’s 6-0 loss at perennial power El Camino Real gave them an early wake-up call heading into Western League play.

Morgan O’Connor scored in the third minute, Kayla Reeve added two goals off rebounds and the Conquistadores led 3-0 less than 10 minutes into the game. They added three goals in the second half and would’ve had more if not for goalkeeper Amy Bailey’s point-blank save and an alert play by Melissa Bell, who cleared  the ball off the back line before it rolled across the goal line.

“We weren’t expecting to lose like this but we have to learn how to bounce back,” Coach Christian Chambers said of his Dolphins debut. “We were trying to stretch their back four out wide. Our possession was good at times but they were quicker player to player.”

Palisades’ best chance came  in the 55th minute on Sydra Gianassi’s direct free kick from 25 yards out, which goalkeeper Alex West punched over the bar.

Senior Hannah De Silva stayed positive about the season ahead.

“We’re doing really well, we just have to keep our composure,” she said. “It’s good to get this kind of competition because league is usually really easy for us.”

Just when it looked like the Pali High boys would salvage a draw in their opener, Harvard-Westlake scored with six minutes left to win 2-1 last Wednesday at Stadium by the Sea. Midfielder Barron Chavez scored in the 68th minute to tie the game 1-1.

“We only had three shots,” Palisades Coach Dave Suarez said. “We had a couple of breakdowns that cost us. They played harder than us.”

Goalkeeper Rigo Galvez made six saves for the Dolphins, including a diving stop from inside the 18-yard box midway through the first half. Henry Quilici tallied the winner on a rebound off a direct free kick from 23 yards out after Galvez saved the initial shot. Cole Fletcher headed in a corner kick to give Harvard-Westlake a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute.

Palisades dropped its opener to Malibu 3-0 last year but won the Western League and advanced to the City semifinals.

“If you outwork your opponent you’ll usually get rewarded,” Suarez said. “We had the ball in their end of the field quite a bit, we just didn’t take enough shots.”