GIRLS' SOCCER DIVISION IV: LOUISVILLE SINKS CHAMINADE STREAK UNSEEDED ROYALS STUN FOUR-TIME CHAMP EAGLES LOUISVILLE 1, CHAMINADE 0.

Byline: Chris Cocoles Staff Writer

Advancing to its first Southern Section Division IV girls' soccer final was a big accomplishment for Louisville High.

Getting there through Mission League nemesis Chaminade of West Hills was even more satisfying. None of the Louisville of Woodland Hills players had ever beaten the Eagles. In that same span, Chaminade won four consecutive section championships.

The Royals stopped the streak Tuesday afternoon with a 1-0 semifinal victory on a swampy field at Chaminade.

Although the Eagles' (21-5-2) run of championships is over, an all-Mission League final was secured when Harvard-Westlake beat top-seeded Corona del Mar 2-1 in overtime. The Wolverines meet the Royals (18-8-1) on Saturday.

Louisville's history of heartbreak at the hands of Chaminade included a 2-0 Division IV quarterfinal loss last year. The unseeded Royals made junior Jenny Farenbaugh's first-half goal stand up.

``We're rivals with them. They always seem to come out on top. We came out on top when it meant the most,'' said Farenbaugh, whose goal was her 31st.

Farenbaugh's goal in the last minute of the first half was headed in off a perfectly executed free kick by junior Carrie Schuler. On a day when the middle of the field was covered with standing puddles, the pinpoint placement by Schuler was remarkable.

Both coaches, Chaminade's Mike Evans and Louisville's Jose Perez, preferred to postpone the match given the watery conditions. But the officials, who were chosen by the Southern Section, refused to suspend play. Players spent much of the 80 minutes sliding in the mud and losing their balance. But Schuler's kick from about 20 yards out floated into the box, where Farenbaugh directed the ball into the top left corner.

The goal was the Royals' 32nd of the year off a set play.

``If I get it there, then our players will get it in,'' said Schuler, a junior defender.

Added Farenbaugh, ``(Schuler) gets that ball up there so much. She puts it in the box for you and you just have to come up and get it.''

Chaminade had its share of scoring opportunities, both before and after Farenbaugh scored. The second-seeded Eagles outshot the Royals 14-4. But goalkeeper Kim Morgan, one of Louisville's few seniors, had six saves.

``You'd think with as much play that was in front of their net, something would go,'' Evans said. ``We've been riding high for four years now.... We practiced (defending Schuler's free kicks), but that's her specialty...''