Dolphins Can’t Get Over Hills

It must have felt like deja vu when the Palisades High girls’ varsity soccer team hosted Granada Hills in its nonleague opener last Tuesday night at Stadium by the Sea. The Highlanders scored a goal in each half to prevail 2-0, the same opponent and score as the Dolphins’ last game in February, a playoff loss that ended their season. Neither team was at full strength. Palisades was missing several of its top players, forcing Coach Kim Smith to juggle her lineup. “We had players in new positions,” she said. One change is moving Tiffany Falk from midfield to defense. Falk, a senior, is co-captain this year with junior forward Kathryn Gaskin, who led the team with 19 goals last season. As was the case in February, she was tightly marked and had only one shot on goal against Granada Hills. Meredith Kornfeind led the way with five shots and goalie Jessica Levin made five saves for Palisades. Smith has scheduled quality nonleague opponents to help prepare the Dolphins for the postseason. Palisades scored 105 goals and allowed only 12 last season, but it was not accustomed to playing close games against severely overmatched teams in the Western League. “We were winning every game so easily last season that we kind of panicked when we fell behind [Granada Hills],” Gaskin said. “Obviously we want to win league again but our goal is to get further in the playoffs.” Palisades hosted Taft Wednesday and its own tournament, the Palisades Holiday Showcase, begins Friday. The Dolphins host Reseda at 6:30 p.m. Friday, then play twice Saturday, against Bakersfield Stockdale at 1 p.m. and Sylmar at 7:15 p.m. Boys’ Soccer Coach Dave Suarez’ varsity squad won its season opener over Crossroads, 2-1, last week and beat San Pedro, 3-0, Monday at Stadium by the Sea. The Dolphins wrap up their nonleague schedule at home on December 14 against Santa Monica. The JV game kicks off at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity at 6. Santa Monica defeated Palisades in a practice game November 20.