Pressure. Pressure. Pressure.

That was coach Rob Cantrell's game plan Saturday.

Cantrell wanted his Santa Ynez Pirates to keep the pressure on the San Marino Titans in their CIF Southern Section Division IV girls soccer playoff opener on a cool, breezy afternoon at Pirate Field in Santa Ynez.

Cantrell's pressure play paid off with a 2-1 first-round victory.

“We wanted to put pressure on them all the way,” said Cantrell. “Most of our girls have been playing together since youth soccer. The ease and comfort of playing together all that time allowed us to pressure San Marino.”

“We played a really good team today,” said San Marino coach Jaime Acuna. “My hat is off to Santa Ynez. They dominated play, They deserved to win.”

The Pirates' Aolani Rueff - just back from eight weeks on the injured list - scored both goals for Santa Ynez, the top seed from the Los Padres League.

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“Aolani picked us up a bit today,” said Cantrell. “But remember, we played well while she was out. We were able to spread the ball around to other people. That really helped our offense. But Aolani got both our goals today. It is nice to have her back.”

The Titans' Lindsay Wofford - who's headed to Wake Forest next year on a soccer scholarship - scored for San Marino, a wild card entry from the Rio Hondo League.

“Number 9 - Wofford - is going to Wake Forest next year. To be able to stop a player like that is big,” said Cantrell. “I'm proud of my girls. They've worked hard all year and a win like this is their reward for all their hard work.”

The Pirates (11-1 LPL, 17-7-1 overall) were in attack mode from the opening whistle to the final gun - 80 minutes of constant pressure.

“They pressured us all the way,” said Acuna. “I tried to settle the girls down, tried to get them to keep possession of the ball - but Santa Ynez didn't give us any easy shots.”

Most of the game was played on San Marino's half of the field.

The Titans rarely moved the ball into the Pirates' zone - managing just one shot on goal and two more shots roughly in the direction of the goal until Wofford scored on a penalty kick in the game's 78th minute.

In contrast, Santa Ynez had nine solid shots on San Marino goal keeper Carlee Beckler - she stopped seven - and four more that defender Annie Wenzlau blocked just in front of Beckler.

Emily Ineman had the Pirates' first scoring opportunity five minutes into the game but Beckler ended that threat.

Four minutes later, Santa Ynez' Kendall Sauter hit the goal post. Beckler scrambled to her left just in time to keep that shot from trickling in.

But the third time was a charm.

As the Titans tried to mount an attack, Santa Ynez stole the ball near midfield. The Pirates worked the ball to Zoe Rogers. Rogers made an excellent pass to Rueff and Rueff rocketed a shot past Beckler to put Santa Ynez up 1-0 in the 24th minute.

Ineman and Alisa Silsbee got off strong shots later in the first half but Beckler was up to the challenge each time and Santa Ynez headed into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

San Marino tried to pick up the pace - and return the kind of pressure Santa Ynez was applying - in the second half.

But the Pirates would have none of that.

Every time San Marino pressed the attack, Santa Ynez's defenders - Rogers, Becca Klapper and Monica Pequeda - stepped to the ball, took it away and fed the offense.

Less than one minute into the second half, the Pirates' had three good scoring opportunities.

First, Kendall Sauter tried to head the ball into the net. Beckler made the save.

Then Sauter got the ball and kicked it right down the middle - again Beckler made the save.

Finally, Ineman saw an opening and took the shot - it went wide.

Three shots in the first 53-seconds of the second half but the Pirates came away empty and the Titans were still hanging around.

Santa Ynez finally got a two-goal cushion with Rueff's second goal in midway through the half.

Rueff's score capped a picture perfect play - the kind coaches always draw up but don't always see on the field.

Silsbee got the ball rolling with a steal near midfield. She quickly passed to Ineman who moved the ball ahead to Colleen Dugan. Dugan then hit Rueff with a nice pass.

Rueff had a defender right in her face but she faked her out, dribbled the ball toward the goal, faked a shot the drew Beckler out of the goal and fired an easy shot right into the middle of the now-empty net.

With time running out, San Marino was awarded a penalty kick.

The Titans used a little trickery with first one, then two girls faking a run at the ball before Wofford stepped into it and sent a shot just over the head of Santa Ynez goal keeper Hannah Vellekamp in the 78th minute.

With the clock winding down, The Titans tried to mount one final attack. Santa Ynez clogged the passing lanes and, although San Marino fought to the very end, the Titans couldn't get off another shot.

Santa Ynez faces Bishop Montgomery Wednesday in the playoff's second round. Bishop Montgomery defeated Palm Springs Saturday afternoon at home. Since both Santa Ynez and Bishop Montgomery were the home teams Saturday, a coin flip will determine the location of Wednesday's game.

California 2, Cabrillo 1

WHITTIER - California's Jasmine Martinez scored both goals, including the game-winner in the 75th minute to end Cabrillo's season in the first round of the Division IV playoffs.

Cabrillo's Rebekah Rogers scored the lone Conqs goal in the 65th minute.

In other CIF soccer action, St. Joseph lost to Santa Ana Valley 1-0 in Division IV action; Arroyo Grande beat Los Gatos 2-1 in Division III play, and will face Chadwick of Palos Verdes Peninsula in second-round action on Wednesday at a site to be determined.

Feb. 17, 2008