Corona del Sol girls soccer coach Matt Smith has seen it happen before and probably will see it again.

Senior Night for the Aztecs and a senior normally not in the limelight steps into it. Monday evening that meant midfielder Kendall Barrett.

Barrett scored in the match's third minute and Corona went on to do what it does best by playing good defense in blanking visiting Salpointe, 2-0, in a 5A-I match.

"I can't tell you how many times in 14 years of coaching I've seen a senior kid get an opportunity on a night like this and do something," Smith said. "She did a great job getting that. She won the ball, cut it and beat the keeper. It was a great chance and she converted."

Barrett, one of seven seniors honored before the game by Corona for their contribution to the program, doesn't usually start. She is in Smith's rotation and he couldn't have been happier about her early goal.

"We're not going to light people up with four or five goals," Smith said. "Getting that one quick we went out and defended. That's what we do."

Corona, which improved to 8-4 on the season in power-point games, got a second goal in the 50th minute on a header by Emily Tucker.

"The first goal was a present," Salpointe coach Dave Peron said. "Our back got turned, and they made the most of it. The second one they really earned. They came hard, crashed and took advantage."

Salpointe, which had a couple chances the first half, didn't muster much of anything in the second half to challenge Corona. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Lancers (6-6 in power-point games). Salpointe's regular season is over and  must play the waiting game through Friday. Salpointe entered Monday 12th in the 5A-I power rankngs. Corona del Sol entered at No 9.

"It's going to be hard for us," Peron said. "We're going to practice the rest of the week, but we don't know whether or not we play anymore until Friday."

Corona, which has been hit hard by injuries to senior midfielder Sammie Weber (out all season) and junior striker Mackenzie Bader recently (meniscus), has a modest two-game winning streak. The Azetcs finish the regular season Tuesday night at Dobson.

"We're trying to get momentum and get as a high a seed as possible," Smith said. "Maybe even a match we'll be favored in in the first round. One thing I know with this team is we'll just keep working."