Santa Margarita's Religion George (12) kicks the ball previous Oaks Christian's Isa Wieder through the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita's Bella Gissendanner (16) and Oaks Christian's Avery Oder (6) battle for the ball within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler makes a save in opposition to Santa Margarita within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Avery Oder, proper, chases the ball as Santa Margarita's Emma Newman defends him through the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Scarlette Druian (12) and Santa Margarita's Kaylee McKeehan (17) battle for the ball within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Avery Oderad drives the ball in opposition to Santa Margarita within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita's Religion George (12) kicks the ball previous Oaks Christian's Isa Wieder through the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Ellie Korman, entrance, and Santa Margarita's Molly MacMillan collide whereas enjoying for the ball within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita's Emma Nunez (15) hits the turf after colliding with Oaks Christian's Abigail Seawright within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Scarlette Druian (12) advances with the ball as Santa Margarita's Molly MacMillan defends through the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Charlotte Ward, left, and Santa Margarita's Molly MacMillan battle for the ball within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Sarah Spears strikes the ball between Santa Margarita defenders within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Avery Oder, proper, tries to get previous Santa Margarita's Emma Newman within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita's Cora Fry, left, performs sneaky protection on Oaks Christian's Elle Pfeiffer within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Santa Margarita's Cora Fry, left, and Oaks Christian's Jonnie-Jane Quiroz battle for the ball within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler watches Santa Margarita's shot sail previous the purpose within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. They performed to a rating of 0:0. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Scarlette Druian, proper, kicks the ball previous Santa Margarita's Charlotte Memola within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler makes a save in opposition to Santa Margarita within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
Oaks Christian's Avery Oder advances for the ball in opposition to Santa Margarita within the first spherical of the CIF-SS Open Division playoffs, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024, at Oaks Christian. (Picture by Michael Owen Baker, Contributing Photographer)
WESTLAKE VILLAGE – Defensively struggling for a lot of the recreation, the Oaks Christian and Santa Margarita women soccer groups resulted in a 0-0 tie Thursday within the first recreation of a CIF-SS Open Division opening-round playoff recreation. .
The groups will play once more within the second recreation of the two-game sequence on Saturday at 3 pm in Santa Margarita.
That is the primary yr the CIF Southern Part has had an open division for soccer, with eight groups chosen for the bracket. Santa Margarita is the No. 1 seed and Oaks Christian is the No. 8 seed.
A two-leg format may even be used for the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with the upper seeded staff internet hosting the second leg and the winner being determined primarily based on the mixture rating of the 2 legs.
Oaks Christian coach Sebastian Alvarado is optimistic in regards to the new format, saying, “Our mindset is to play like we did as we speak and hopefully discover a purpose or two alongside the best way.”
Oaks Christian's protection was stout all through the sport, with center linebackers Abigail Seawright and Isa Wieder doing an excellent job of the Santa Margarita offense led by USC signee and ahead Religion George.
Oaks Christian goalkeeper Hannah Wieler made 5 saves, together with a powerful jab on George within the thirtieth minute that was both staff's finest scoring probability of the sport.
“I believe we performed arduous, it was a tricky forwards and backwards recreation,” Alvarado mentioned. “Each groups had some good possibilities and I believed it was an excellent end result for us.
Santa Margarita managed possession for a lot of the recreation, outshooting Oaks Christian 11-5.
George managed 4 pictures within the recreation, however Oaks Christian was capable of restrict it a bit extra within the second half. She was restricted to at least one shot in that half.
Emmie Nunez had two pictures for Santa Margarita, one from lengthy vary that missed early within the second half. Felicity Nguyen additionally had two hits for Santa Margarita.
“Oaks Christian, each staff that's within the Open division is a fine quality staff and it's going to be a extremely robust recreation,” Santa Margarita coach Craig Bull mentioned. “This recreation was as robust because it has been all yr and hopefully we will clear some issues up at dwelling on Saturday and carry out a bit of bit higher.
Oaks Christian was capable of create some good possibilities on the counter assault. Pepperdine mark and midfielder Sarah Spears had one shot within the recreation after a jumper halfway by means of the primary half. Joanne-Jane Quiroz additionally had a breakaway probability for Oaks Christian within the second half, however was unable to transform.
Alvarado was happy together with his staff's total effort in opposition to Santa Margarita. Prime-seeded Santa Margarita has eight seniors who will play Division I subsequent yr.
Seniors aside from George who’ve signed to play in faculty for Santa Margarita embrace center linebacker Bella Gissendanner, who will go to Idaho subsequent yr, and midfielder Molly MacMillan, who’s going to Texas.
