DIVISION I GIRLS’ SOCCER : Claremont Shuts Out Irvine, 2-0

IRVINE — Second-seeded Claremont extended its unbeaten streak to 25 games with a 2-0 victory over Irvine in the Southern Section Division I girls’ soccer semifinals Tuesday.

The final matches top-seeded Marina, which defeated Santa Margarita 3-1 on Tuesday, and Claremont Friday night at Cerritos Gahr.

Katherine Judkins had five saves to preserve the shutout, the team’s 20th of the season, for the Wolfpack (24-1-2).

Defense was the focus of both teams in the first half. “We played a defensive first half,” Vaquero Coach Hamid Sedehi said. “In the second half, we started on the attack and we opened up the defense a little bit.

After a scoreless first half, both teams started driving for the goal.

At the 48th minute, Claremont’s Andi Janousek’s corner kick went into a mass of players. The ball was deflected into the goal by an Irvine player, giving the Wolfpack a 1-0 lead.

Minutes later, Claremont made it 2-0 when Lisa Muench chipped a shot over goalie Missy Brigman on a breakaway. It was Muench’s 23rd goal of the season to lead the team. Muench is averaging almost a goal a game (23 goals in 27 games) for the Wolfpack.

Claremont tightened up the defense thereafter.

Irvine (17-4-6), which finished second in the Sea View League and ranked sixth in Orange County, outshot Claremont 5-3, but just couldn’t put the ball in the net.