Gryphons escape with win: Crystal Springs gets pair of goals from Duncanson, holds off Cap

Chen definitely earned her keep. Playing against a vastly improved Mustangs’ squad, Chen and the Crystal Springs defense weathered a relentless Capuchino attack. The Mustangs got off 19 shots during the game — 15 of which were on frame — with Chen saving 14 of them.

“Having a [legitimate] goalkeeper makes a big difference,” Flynn said.

After stopping several shots from distance, Chen proved unflappable as the Mustangs got up into her face several times in the second half. Down 2-0 at halftime, the Mustangs score cut their deficit in half three minutes into the second half, but could not solve Chen over the final 37 minutes of the game.

“We were getting good looks,” said Capuchino coach Rich Medina. “I personally thought we had the majority of possession the first 20 minutes of each half.”

Brianna Ledesma and Fernanda Castro did a good job of controlling the middle for the Mustangs. Castro played a physical game to win challenges and distribute the ball, while Ledesma brought a more technical approach to the game, using some fancy footwork to create space and make penetrating passes.

Isabel Hernandez, Lauren Meyer and Marli Bonney wreaked havoc on the wings for the Mustangs, while Amaya Tomlinson was a force at the sweeper spot. Medina said Tomlinson skipped the high school season to focus on her club team last season.

Crystal Springs struggled to maintain much possession throughout the game and Flynn’s lineup took a hit when starting center fullback Maddie Schin came out midway through the first half with cramps in her calf, which forced Flynn to juggle his lineup. He moved attacking midfielder EV Nora to the back line and her versatility proved vital as she closed down a number of Capuchino attacks.

“You could tell it was our first game,” Flynn said. “[Nora] stepped up huge. She’s such a selfless player.”

Also missing for the Gryphons was center midfielder Nikki Lee, who is also in the national pool for her age group. Lee was lost for the season with a knee injury.

The lack of cohesion in the midfield, coupled with a determined Capuchino squad made things tough on Crystal, but the ace in the hole for the Gryphons is senior striker Megan Duncanson, who scored 26 goals last season.

She didn’t wait long to get into the scoring column in 2016-17, finding the back of the net just 10 minutes into the season.

Duncanson chased down a long through ball deep in the Mustangs’ end. Duncanson held off a pair of defenders, made the turn toward goal and, with the outside of her right foot, managed to spin a shot past the defender’s efforts and just inside the far right post for a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute.

Duncanson was at it again in the 20th minute when she corralled a loose ball in the Capuchino penalty box, turned and fired a shot into the upper left corner to give the Gryphons a 2-0 lead.

That would be about all the offense Crystal Springs would muster in the opening 40 minutes.

“We had a couple organizational mistakes in the back,” Medina said.

Crystal Springs made the 2-0 lead stand until halftime, but the Mustangs wasted little time in getting back in the game. Pressing off the second-half kickoff, the Mustangs were working on the left flank when Hernandez found Siena Martinucci stationed in the penalty box off of the near right post. Martinucci then one-timed a pass to Castro, who was located about 25 yards out from goal in the middle of the field.

After taking a touch to control the ball, Castro whipped her right foot through the ball and hammered it into the upper right corner of the net in the 43rd minute to cut the Gryphons’ lead in half.

That’s when Capuchino goalkeeper Julia Swedberg was forced into action and she kept her team in the game with a pair of saves during one sequence about 15 minutes into the second half.

Crystal’s Marlena Booker ran down a pass and had a step on her defender when she let loose a shot from about 18 yards out. Swedberg got a hand on the shot to deflect it away — but the rebound landed right at the feet of Molly Schoberl. But her shot was turned aside by Swedberg as well to keep the Mustangs’ deficit at just one goal.

Despite all efforts to find the equalizer, the Crystal Springs defense was up to the task.

“[Capuchino is] an ‘A’ league team,” Flynn said of the Bay Division-playing Mustangs. “It shows.”