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Sports

Soccer: Mission Viejo shocked by Dana Hills in Capistrano Valley Summer League

Dana Hills Dolphins used headers to score twice against Mission Viejo--the last one in the final minutes.The Capo Valley Summer League tournament features many of the best players from 2012 boys varsity soccer.

Vincente Ruiz's header with two minutes remaining didn’t exactly give his team the World Cup, or even a tournament title, but it may have been just as important for a young team looking to achieve its own identity.

“Our first win of the summer!” exclaimed Dana Hills coach Leo Compean, following his team’s 2-1 victory over Mission Viejo Monday to start the final week of the Capo Valley Summer League before the single-elimination tournament begins next week. The Dolphins were the last team to get a victory in the 10-team, four-week tournament for south Orange County teams at .

“It has been a rough summer," Compean said.

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The team lost 16 seniors from last year and a win today and another Wednesday would be "a great way to end the summer," the coach said.

The Dolphins (1-6) will play San Juan Hills (1-5-1), which lost to San Clemente Monday, 4-0, Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. on Field No. 3 at Capistrano Valley High. The playoffs begin with the quarterfinals Monday, the semifinals Wednesday and the championship game Friday at 4 p.m.

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Dana Hills started strong and finished even stronger against the Diablos (5-2), whose only other loss in the tournament came to Laguna Hills. In between, however, Mission Viejo dominated offensive play, outshooting the Dolphins, 6-2, in the second half following some harsh words from Mission Viejo Diablos coach Roger Castle at halftime.

Paul Romero gave Dana Hills an early 1-0 lead on a header just seven minutes into the contest. The speedy forward gave the Diablos fits early on as sophomore goalie Colin Smith needed five saves to keep his team from falling further behind.

In the second half, however, Mission Viejo took control of the match and finally tied it on a corner shot by Adi Ezran that trickled over the outstretched hand of Dolphins goalie Rory Alay (five saves). But any momentum the Diablos might have had disappeared eight minutes later on Romeo’s lightning header through traffic eluded Smith and landed in the right corner of the net.

Castle acknowledged that his team played much better in the second half but was disappointed with the players' overall lackadaisical effort against the Dolphins.

“They’ve got to learn that you have to show up and play every game,” Castle said.

The Mission Viejo coach said the team has had some "great stretches," including 20 minutes straight of tough play last week.

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