CANYON REGISTERS SHUTOUT VICTORY.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

SIMI VALLEY - Natalie Sozio scored two goals to lead the Canyon girls' soccer team to a 2-0 victory over San Marcos on Friday in the fifth-place game of the Simi Valley tournament at Santa Susana Park.

The Cowboys, who scored five goals in their last two games, gave up only two goals during the three-day event - one of which came in the quarterfinals against Quartz Hill. The Rebels went on to beat Thousand Oaks 3-2 for the championship.

Canyon (12-1-2) and Quartz Hill (8-3-1) were the only teams to score (not including shootouts) in each of their games during the tournament.

Sozio scored the first goal against San Marcos on a rebound off the crossbar late in the first half. Her other goal came midway through the second half when she beat the Royals' leaping goalkeeper at the post.

Lindsay Taylor posted the shutout for Canyon.

--Confusion: The tournament was filled with teams unsure of when or who they were playing. Having the final day of the tournament moved to Santa Susana Park because of construction at Simi Valley High didn't help things run any smoother.

Since only two fields were available, some of the games were behind schedule. Canyon's game started more than 20 minutes late.

--Good gift: Canyon's victory Friday doubled as a birthday present for Christine Chapman. The senior midfielder turns 18 today, but the Cowboys, who had a bunch of ballons for her on the sidelines, celebrated a day early.

--Overheated: Unseasonably warm and dry weather led to frequent substitutions for players who tired quicker than usual. About 20 minutes into Friday's game, Canyon started substituting players at almost every opportunity possible, sometimes changing as many as four players at a time. Most of the Cowboys left the field seeking drinks, but one had a mild asthma attack.