El Camino Real Is Semi-Sweet in Quarterfinal

For the El Camino Real High girls’ soccer team, the road to the semifinals has been easy the last three years.

The problem for the Conquistadores has been reaching the final.

But the way the Conquistadores have been playing, chances are good they will reach the City final for the first time.

Top-seeded El Camino Real (18-1-2) took another step with a 4-0 victory over Hamilton (11-2-2) on Friday in a City Section quarterfinal game at El Camino Real.

“I know we can make it to the finals because this is our year,” said forward Sammy Spencer, who put El Camino Real ahead, 1-0, with a goal in the 15th minute. “The way we all talk to each other I know we all want it so bad it can’t go any other way.”

The Conquistadores take their 13-game winning streak into Tuesday’s semifinals against Granada Hills.

Kori McLaughlin extended the lead to 2-0 by heading in a throw-in from Maytal Shvartz in the 62nd minute.

Kori’s sister, Kandice McLaughlin, added two goals late in the game for the Conquistadores.

Although El Camino Real outshot Hamilton, 23-2, fewer than half its shots were on goal.

“We didn’t play up to our potential [Friday],” Kandice said. “We need to have shots on frame and capitalize on every chance we get.”