Beaumont Beaten in Defensive Battle

The Beaumont girls soccer team travelled a long way only to see its run through the CIF Southern Section playoffs come to an end on Tuesday in a disheartening 1-0 loss to South Pasadena.  Beaumont fought off several attacks by the Tigers, but a goal in the 69th minute on a South Pasadena free kick proved to be the difference.

“We really didn’t know anything about them except that they’d be solid,” said Beaumont coach Kelsey Tedrow.  “Obviously it’s a disappointing loss, but we’ve improved a lot since last year and we’re going to continue to work and have great team next year.”

Both teams established a physical style of play early.  Beaumont nearly fell behind in the 14th minute when goalkeeper Kelsey Dodson challenged a Tiger through ball near the top of the penalty box and collided with a teammate and an opposing forward.  The ball was deflected past Dodson and South Pasadena’s Stacy Lee tried to finish, but shot the ball inches wide.

In the 30th minute Rebecca Ashmore led the Cougars on a counterattack and approached the goalkeeper, but was taken down by South Pasadena’s Janel Ismail who drew a yellow card for the hard foul.  Beaumont’s free kick amounted to a Tiger goal kick.

Beaumont’s best scoring opportunity came in stoppage time of the first half.  Cierra Stull beat a defender down the left sideline and crossed the ball to the front of South Pasadena’s goal.  Christina Vanderbyl won the ball from a defender and unloaded a close range blast, but Tiger goalkeeper Angelique Ulmer made a remarkable leaping save to send the game to halftime tied.

“We knew that both of the goalkeepers had been injured in recent weeks, but their starter came back and played well,” said Tedrow.

Time of possession was nearly an even split in the first half, but South Pasadena controlled the ball for most of the second half.  Despite the constant onslaught by South Pasadena’s offense, captain Dana Casey played great defense and repeatedly cleared away any Tiger attack.

A foul in the 69th minute ultimately cost the Cougars.  South Pasadena’s Taylor Colliau, who had earlier been subbed out due to a knee injury, was pushed off a ball near Beaumont’s left sideline at midfield.  Colliau took a long shot on the free kick that bounced off the crossbar.  Dodson made a diving attempt at the shot and was therefore out of position when Tara Aalem gathered the rebound and shot it back into the goal for a 1-0 lead.

The Cougars picked up their intensity following the goal, but with just ten minutes remaining the Tigers dropped their midfielders back to defend.  Beaumont was awarded a corner kick in stoppage time, but Joye Depalatis’ cross sailed past the goal and the referee blew the final whistle.

The Cougars improved on a fifth-place finish in the Mountain Pass League a year ago to finish in second place this season under Tedrow, in her second year as coach.

“I’d like to beat South Pasadena one day,” said Tedrow.  “They knocked my team out of the playoffs back when I played soccer at Beaumont.”