The562’s coverage of Millikan athletics in the 2023-24 school year is sponsored by Curtis Boyer.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly is sponsored by Bryson Financial
Millikan played like the defending Moore League girls’ soccer champions and senior captain Audrey Stewart looked like the best player in the league during the Rams’ 4-1 win on Monday at Long Beach Poly.
Stewart converted an early penalty kick, started the counter attack that led to the third Millikan goal and then capped the scoring with a clinical finish in the second half.
“She’s a leader and you never question her showing up,” MIllikan coach Tino Nunez said. “That’s just contagious. When you have a winning mentality and there’s a player who wants it more than anyone else then you get on board and let’s go.”
Millikan (15-2-1, 10-0-0) is trying to repeat as Moore League champions and only has a pair of regular season games left against second-place Wilson.
“We’ve been working really hard together and We really wanted this game from the keeper to the center forward,” Stewart said. “I think we’ve been getting better, but we also started our season really well. Each game we’re getting closer and closer together. All of the girls know that we’re not just playing for ourselves, We’re playing for each other. Every time we step on this field we’re connected. We’re ready.”
Fellow senior Bela Menes also scored and agreed with Stewart that team chemistry has also improved for a veteran squad.
“I honestly think that it’s just hanging out outside of the game and getting to know each other personally,” Menes said. “I call these girls my sisters. It’s easy to connect because it’s that same wavelength.”
Millikan started on the front foot and took its lead in the seventh minute when Emily Marino was fouled on a corner kick. She was about to rise for a header attempt in the heart of the 18-yard box when a Poly defender knocked her down from behind. Stewart drilled the resulting penalty kick home through the hands of Poly goalkeeper Caitlyn Jung.
The Rams stayed on the front foot and scored again in the 19th minute when Menes picked up a loose ball at the top of the box and scored a cracking goal.
“We’ve been working really hard to build out from the sides, but (because of Nunez coaching adjustment) this whole week we’ve been prioritizing working through the middle, which was emphasized on my and that play,” Menes said. “It’s about building up from the outside back, to the middle and then getting perfectly placed in.”
Less than a minute later, Stewart led a counter attack charge with teammates Alexandra Rios and Emily Frost to her left. Stewart didn’t panic and took as much space as she could before playing the ball to Rios, who in turn played it to Frost in the box for the finish and 3-0 lead.
“It’s staying calm and keeping composed,” Stewart said. “You’ve got to clear your head, listen to who is just talking to you. Luckily, (Rios) called for that ball and I saw her.”
Millikan outshot Polly 9-2 in the first half, but the Jackrabbits regrouped at halftime and outshot the Rams 9-5 in the second half while getting back into it through Aaya McLyn set pieces. Poly earned those fouls with an aggressive play forward which caused Millikan to draw three yellow cards in a 15 minute span. The first came in the 47th minute when McLyn bounced her service in from about 30 yards out.
“If after the first goal we had that response that game is a different game,” Poly coach Anthony Perez said. “To beat a team that’s super prepared it takes more heart and effort.”
The Rams weathered the short storm and got the goal back just after the hour mark when Rios beat her defender and rolled her cross to Stewart near the front post. The senior calmly opened up her hips and scored a perfect goal.
“You’ve got to be smart,” Stewart said of finishing that moment. “Those are the balls that a lot of people mess up (over the crossbar or wide. I’m one hundred percent (trying to hit the top half of the ball and trap it a little bit.) Tino is always telling us, ‘Don’t swing up. You’ve got to lean over the ball and get through it.’”
“It shows her growth throughout the years and her maturity in those situations… having the composure in the moment and making the best direction possible and being technically sound,” Nunez said of Stewart.
Millikan visits Wilson on Tuesday where any positive result will clinch the league title for the Rams.
Poly (6-8-0, 6-3-0) plays Compton and Lakewood next week.
