Hawks score once in regulation to force overtime, beat Mira Costa in penalty shootout, 4-3
The Hart boys’ soccer team went down to Mira Costa High School on Monday needing at least a goal to have a shot at advancing in the playoffs.
With 10 minutes to go in regulation, senior Diego Rodriguez delivered that goal to send the Hawks to overtime against the Mira Costa Mustangs.
The two teams went on to a penalty shootout, where Hart won, 4-3, to advance to the CIF Southern Section Open Division semifinals. Senior Liam Mee scored the winning penalty kick for Hart.
“First thing I would say is how extremely proud I am of the boys’ desire to go out there and compete, and their hunger to fight for everything,” Hart head coach Alex Bernal said in a Tuesday phone interview. “That’s what it took yesterday.”
Hart advances to face the Loyola Cubs in a two-legged semifinal. The first game is set for Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Loyola High School in downtown Los Angeles. The second leg is slated to be played at Hart High on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Against Mira Costa on Monday, Hart entered the second leg of the first round of the playoffs trailing 1-0 after falling to a last-minute goal in the first leg at home.
“We rotated guys more often, just to kind of have more energy on the field,” Bernal said. “And I felt like we wanted it more this time around. I feel like the first game, a little too much — we’ll always respect our opponents, but I think we gave a little too much where we were a little bit more passive in our pressing intensity than we’re used to. And this last game, we just gave them everything we could at all times.”
Rodriguez’s goal on Monday tied things up on aggregate before senior goalkeeper Marco Gonzalez came up with a couple of key stops in the penalty shootout. Bernal said the idea after the goal was to make sure Mira Costa couldn’t get back ahead and trust Gonzalez in the shootout.
“It got to a point where it’s like, ‘Marco’s in goal, let’s ride with him and roll with him into penalties,’” Bernal said. “And we did that, and it paid off. Marco was tremendous all game, and then penalties, obviously, he made crucial stops.”
Mira Costa missed its final penalty chance, sending Hart to the final four.
The Mustangs looked like the favorites to advance after pinning Hart back more and more throughout the first leg on Friday.
“I was more excited for the boys than anything,” Bernal said. “They worked so hard for each other and believed in each other and just the way they uplifted each other and spoke to each other going into the half, going into the overtimes, going into the penalties. It was more on them than on me.”
Hart is seeded sixth in the bracket while Loyola is seeded seventh, meaning both teams secured upsets in the first round. Loyola beat No. 2 Mater Dei in the first round. Hart took down No. 3 Mira Costa.
“At this point, I think in any division, once you hit semis, it’s going to be quality teams,” Bernal said. “So, we’ll just continue to prepare as best as we can and go out there and show them what Hart soccer is about.”
