To reach the CIF Southern Section Division V championship match in girls’ soccer, San Marino had to pass yet another test on the road.
After consecutive shutouts to start their playoff run, the Titans earned a quarterfinal trip to Garden Grove High School in hopes to secure a spot in the division semifinal.
Goals by both teams in each half sent the quarterfinal into overtime, and eventually, a penalty shootout.
Garden Grove outlasted San Marino in penalty kicks, 4-3, after the two teams settled with a 2-2 score at the end of regulation, putting an end to the Titans’ first winning season in four seasons.
Titans senior Sasha Redshaw and sophomore Makayla Tokuchi were on the scoresheet for San Marino, and freshman Sofia Rodriguez assisted one goal. San Marino senior goalkeeper Calista Tan recorded five saves.
The Titans were the No. 3-seeded team in the Division V playoffs and reached the quarterfinal following back-to-back 3-0 victories to start the postseason — first against Highland in Palmdale and then on the road against Channel Islands.
Tokuchi spearheaded the Titans attack in the playoffs, leading the team with five goals through three rounds.
San Marino finished the season with an overall 10-5-1 record and placed third in the Rio Hondo League with a 4-3-1 mark.
Garden Grove finished third in the Golden West League and was ranked No. 6 in the final CIF Southern Section Division V polls.
First published in the Feb. 22 issue of the San Marino Tribune
