INLAND FIELDHOUSE

I’m covering the Vista Murrieta-Temecula Valley girls varsity soccer game tonight, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2016, for The Press-Enterprise, pe.com & @PEcom_preps.

The best part of this assignment is that it is the first matchup of the season between in the Inland Area’s top two teams.

THE LOW DOWN:
Vista Murrieta (15-2-3 overall, 4-0-0 Southwestern League) has been the Area’s top-ranked team most of the season after nonleague victories over Menifee Paloma Valley, Yucaipa and Corona Santiago. The Broncos have dominated league play from the start with shutouts in three of their first four games so far. They last played on Thursday, Jan. 21, a 2-1 home win over Temecula Chaparral.

Temecula Valley (13-2-2 overall, 3-0-1 Southwestern League) boasts a borderline ridiculous goal scored-to-goals allowed ratio (51:9), and has already tallied 10 goals this calendar year while giving up just two so far. The Golden Bears defeated Murrieta Valley on the road, 2-1, in their previous game, and are unbeaten since a pre-New Year’s tournament.

THE STARTING XIs:
Vista Murrieta — GK Rebeccah Rojas (Jr.); D Elise Benner (Sr.); D Bella Bowers (Jr.); D Kalin Sandow (Sr.); D Giselle Preciado (Sr.); MF Farrah Ganime (Sr.); MF Deanna Gasca (Sr.); MF Kathleen McCarthy (Sr.); MF/F Emma Vanderhyden (Jr.); F/MF Josie Guinn (Jr.); F Ashley Johnson (Jr.)

Temecula Valley — GK Kelsie Whitmore (Sr.); D Iliana Escobedo (Sr.); D Cailin Koupal (Sr.); D Sophie Gharderi (Soph.); D Malina Gabiola (Sr.); MF Alex Vehlow (Jr.); MF Sophia Alcazar (Jr.); MF Kendall Meyer (Jr.); MF Maylie Schreck (Jr.); MF/F Christine Goodman (Fr.); F Christine Maurer (Jr.)

THE DIFFERENCE:
Not much. Both teams are so strong in attack that it will be a matter of who strikes first, last and best.

THE FINAL SCORE: Temecula Valley 2, Vista Murrieta 2