Oaks Christian girls soccer plays No. 1 seed Santa Margarita to draw to begin playoffs
Oaks Christian’s defense is strong throughout the game and contains Santa Margarita's attack led by striker Faith George
Santa Margarita’s Faith George (12) kicks the ball past Oaks Christian’s Isa Wieder in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Bella Gissendanner (16) and Oaks Christian’s Avery Oder (6) battle for the ball in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler makes a save against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Avery Oder, right, chases the ball while being defended by Santa Margarita’s Emma Newman in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Scarlette Druian (12) and Santa Margarita’s Kaylee McKeehan (17) battle for the ball in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Avery Oderadvances the ball against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Faith George (12) kicks the ball past Oaks Christian’s Isa Wieder in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Ellie Korman, front, and Santa Margarita’s Molly MacMillan collide while going for the ball in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Emma Nunez (15) hits the turf after a collision with Oaks Christian’s Abigail Seawright in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Scarlette Druian (12) advances the ball as Santa Margarita’s Molly MacMillan defends in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Charlotte Ward, left, and Santa Margarita’s Molly MacMillan battle for the ball in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Sarah Spears advances the ball between Santa Margarita defenders in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Avery Oder, right, tries to get past Santa Margarita’s Emma Newman in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Cora Fry, left, plays sneaky defense on Oaks Christian’s Ella Pfeiffer in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Santa Margarita’s Cora Fry, left, and Oaks Christian’s Jonnie-Jane Quiroz battle for the ball in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler watches a shot by Santa Margarita sail past the goal in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. They played to a 0-0 tie. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Scarlette Druian, right, kicks the ball past Santa Margarita’s Charlotte Memoly in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler makes a save against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
Oaks Christian’s Avery Oder advances the ball against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Photo by Michael Owen Baker, contributing photographer)
WESTLAKE VILLAGE — In what was a defensive struggle for most of the match, the Oaks Christian and Santa Margarita girls soccer teams finished with a 0-0 draw Thursday in the first leg of their opening-round match in the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs.
The teams will play again the second leg of the two-game series Saturday at 3 p.m. at Santa Margarita.
This is the first year the CIF Southern Section has had an Open Division for soccer, and eight teams were selected for the bracket. Santa Margarita is the No. 1 seed and Oaks Christian is the No. 8 seed.
The two-legged format will also be used for the quarterfinals and semifinals with the higher seed team hosting the second match and the winner being decided from an aggregate score of the two matches.
Oaks Christian coach Sebastian Alvarado is optimistic about the new format saying, “Our mindset is to play the same way we did today, and hopefully find a goal or two on the road.”
Oaks Christian’s defense was strong throughout the game with center backs Abigail Seawright and Isa Wieder doing a good job containing the Santa Margarita attack led by USC signee and striker Faith George.
Oaks Christian goalie Hannah Wieler had five saves, including a strong poke save on George in the 30th minute in what was the best scoring chance for either team in the game.
“I think we played hard, it was a rough game back and forth,” Alvarado said. “Both teams had some good chances, and I thought it was a good result for us.”
Santa Margarita controlled possession for most of the game and outshot Oaks Christian 11-5.
George was able to take four shots in the game, but Oaks Christian was able to limit her a little bit more in the second half. She was limited to one shot that half.
Emmie Nunez had two shots for Santa Margarita, one coming from distance that missed just wide early in the second half. Felicity Nguyen also had two shots for Santa Margarita.
“Obviously Oaks Christian, any team that is in the Open Division is a top quality team, and it’s gonna be a really hard game,” Santa Margarita coach Craig Bull said. “This game was as hard as we had all year, and hopefully we can clean some things up and execute a little bit better back home on Saturday.”
Oaks Christian was able to create a couple good chances on the counterattack. Peppperdine signee and midfielder Sarah Spears had one shot in the game after subbing on in the middle of the first half. Joanne-Jane Quiroz also had a breakaway chance in the second half for Oaks Christian but was unable to convert.
Alvarado was pleased with his team’s overall effort against Santa Margarita. The top-seeded Santa Margarita team has eight seniors who will be going to play Division I soccer next year.
Seniors other than George signed to play in college for Santa Margarita include centerback Bella Gissendanner, going to Idaho next year, and midfielder Molly MacMillan, who is going to Texas.
