Monarchs goalie Darien Vercillo / Paul Bersebach, The Register

From the earliest moments to final frantic seconds of Thursday’s Trinity League clash between Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, one common theme continued to repeat itself.

Whenever the Eagles appeared to be on the verge of putting a shot into the net, Monarchs senior goalie Darien Vercillo found a way to repel them.

Whether from long range or from right in front of the net, a well-timed jump or a hard nosed slide into an oncoming opposing player, Vercillo’s  ability to deny the Eagles a goal resulted in 10 big saves, as the Monarchs earned a hard fought 1-0 road victory over rival Santa Margarita.

When asked to describe her style of play, Vercillo wasn’t shy to admit that she is not a cautious keeper.

“I definitely take reasonable risks,” she said with a smile.

Perhaps the play that best defines Vercillo’s “reasonable risk” taking style came during the Eagles’ best second half scoring chance. After the Monarchs defense misplayed a ball they were trying to clear from the box, Santa Margarita sophomore Ari Bruno came free on a break away, coming straight at Vercillo, and looking to tie the contest.

Yet Vercillo never hesitated. Charging straight ahead, she beat Bruno to the ball before she could attempt a shot to potentially tie the game.

Monarchs coach Matty West knows that Vercillo brings an impressive set of skills to the keeper position.

“She’s got such great instincts and gets off her line quickly,” he said. “She takes away potential opportunities just by how well she reads the game and I know the girls have a lot of confidence in her.”

However, the measure of Vercillo’s true impact on the game is just as big when the ball is headed in the opposite direction, as she also serves as Mater Dei’s biggest vocal on the field leader, something she feels is an important aspect on any team.

“Positive reinforcement is always the best thing to do in the back, especially since I can see the whole field,” said Vercillo. “It is definitely something that I pride myself on.”

Winning is something else that she prides herself on, and the Monarchs have been doing that with regularity of late. With Vercillo helping to lead the way, the Monarchs have won four straight games, while allowing only one goal during that stretch.

According to Vercillo, desire has been the key element in the team’s recent string of victories and will continue to fuel their drive toward continued success during the remainder of league play and the playoffs.

“The best thing this team has is determination and heart to want to win.” she said. “If we continue to have that, we can go all the way.”

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