SOCCER NOTEBOOK: CANYON FACES TOUGH REMATCH.

Byline: ERIK BOAL Special to the Daily News

The Canyon girls' soccer team has waited more than threeweeks to get its rematch with Foothill League rival Hart of Newhall, but the Cowboys might be facing a more potent attack from the Indians than the one they saw Dec. 29 when the teams meet at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at Hart.

The Indians (17-2-1, 4-0) scored four times in the first half in a 4-2 victory over Canyon (13-1-3, 3-0-1) in the Hart tournament final, and their offense hasn't slowed down since, outscoring league opponents 19-2.

``With the changes we've made, I think our attack has increased by at least 75 percent since the last time we played them,'' said Hart coach Louis Romero, whose team has won nine games in a row. ``We're constantly moving people around, which creates different matchups against different teams, and the players are connecting passes a lot better.''

Canyon, which has allowed only two goals in league play and 10 all season, has dropped three consecutive games against the Indians dating to last season, when Hart captured its firstleague title since 2001.

``If we're playing our passing game, I think we can pretty much get the same result as we did last time,'' Hart senior sweeper Michelle Mason said. ``I don't know if they were ready for what happened lasttime, but we know they're going to fired up (Tuesday).''

The status of Hart junior Sarina Coutin remains uncertain for Tuesday's game after the Indians' leading scorer landed awkwardly after being on the receiving end of a foul late in Saturday's 4-0 victory over West Ranch.

Moorpark missing Paletta: Moorpark junior sweeper Kaitlin Paletta paced the sidelines like a caged animal Friday, watching as the Musketeers suffered a 2-0 loss to host Westlake, their first loss in Marmonte League competition.

Paletta, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since Moorpark's 4-1 victory over Newbury Park, could return to the lineup Saturday, when Moorpark (4-3-5, 3-1-4) plays host to Royal of Simi Valley (8-2-5, 3-1-3) in another crucial league match.

``She really wanted to be out there,'' said Frank Paletta, Moorpark's coach and Kaitlin's father. ``But I think she understood where I was coming from. I want to make sure she's 100percent when she goes back out there, because we need her for the last four games more than anything. As long as we can get to the playoffs, then we'll be OK.''

Destination paradise: A good weekend only got better for Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks senior Megan Urquico, who followed a strong performance in Saturday's 2-0 Mission League victory over Flintridge Sacred Heart with her commitment Sunday to Division II Hawaii-Hilo.

Urquico, who assisted on the Knights' second goal Saturday, will look to bolster the offense of the Vulcans, who finished last season 4-12-1, 2-6-1 in the Pacific West Conference.

Numbers game: Flintridge Sacred Heart of La Canada Flintridge co-coach Frank Pace has already began exploring all the scenarios that could lead to the Tologs rallying from fifthplace at the midway point of the Mission League schedule to making their fifth consecutive Southern Section Div. I playoff appearance.

``I will become a big Harvard-Westlake fan,'' said Pace of the five-time defending league champion, which sits in first place with a 3-0-2 league record. ``I'm pulling for them to win all but one game the rest of the way.''

Flintridge Sacred Heart (8-5-4, 1-3-1) will need to win at least four games, if not all five in the second half, to put itself in position to secure oneof the league's three automatic berths.

``Traditionally 11 points has been good enough to get in,'' said Pace, whose team currently has three. ``I believe with the kids we have, we can win four. I even think we can win all five. The fact is we can (make the playoffs), whether we'll be able to remains to be seen.''

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