dsquires
05-29-2007, 03:57 PM
Gloucester girls soccer team loses in shootout
By Marty O'Brien | mobrien@dailypress.com (mobrien@dailypress.com)
NORFOLK — After misfiring from point-blank range repeatedly Tuesday afternoon, Gloucester High's girls soccer team was forced to fight for its season in a penalty-kick shootout. But the Dukes again were off the mark in PKs and fell 3-2 to Granby in the Eastern Region tournament quarterfinals at Old Dominion.
Victoria Johnson scored both of the Comets' goals in regulation, then netted the decisive shot to give her team a 4-2 edge in the shootout. The Comets (13-5-1) move into today’s semifinals, while the Dukes finished 13-5 after winning the Peninsula District regular-season and tournament titles.
A Gloucester loss appeared almost inconceivable through the first 40 minutes. The Dukes pressed the action into the Granby end and built a 12-0 shots advantage by halftime.
But for all of their dominance, the Dukes had only a one-goal lead to show for it at intermission. Granby goalie Krista Berg began the Dukes’ frustration with a diving save of Linsey Snavely’s shot 16 minutes into the first half.
Snavely put the Dukes ahead 1-0 by slotting a Shelly Milks crossing pass into goal two minutes later. But the Dukes missed open shots over the bar and wide right, so the lead remained at a goal.
Even so, the Comets had displayed nary a sign they could rally. Shelly Bloomfield, Caitlin Richmond, Kate Ramsay and Emily Wingfield led a Gloucester defense that was too aggressive and too hard-working for the Comets to crack in the first 40 minutes.
"They had more heart than us in the first half," Johnson said. "But we talked at halftime about digging deep and working harder. That’s what we did."
Johnson was the catalyst. She broke down the middle and forced a stretch save from the Dukes’ Heidi Lancaster-Taylor two minutes into the second half. Anna Davis missed wide left by inches after gathering the rebound.
Johnson broke free with a Davis pass less than a minute later and scored to tie the game at 1-1. Gloucester followed with five more high-quality shots but failed to score. Berg saved two shots, and three others missed by inches.
Granby snatched the lead 2-1 with 4:02 to play in regulation as Johnson broke free for a goal, courtesy of a Leah Zamesnik pass. But Milks evened the score 78 seconds later by scoring off of a Snavely crossing pass, so the contest moved to 20 minutes of overtime.
It appeared the Dukes would salvage victory 14 minutes into OT, when Hannah Varnell broke open and launched a shot from 12 yards. But the ball bounced off the inside of the left post and back into the field of play.
"It’s frustrating, but you just have to keep hammering away," Varnell said. "You tell yourself one is bound to go in."
But the frustration continued into the best-of-five penalty shootout. One Gloucester player shot over the bar and another missed wide left. The Comets won the shootout 4-2 when Johnson netted a shot low and to the right.
"When you can’t finish shots, you can’t expect to win," Gloucester coach Bob Fisher said. "The name of the game is putting the ball into the back of the net. This is disheartening because these girls worked so hard."
GRANBY 3, GLOUCESTER 2
(Granby wins 4-2 on penalty shootout)
Halftime – Gloucester 1-0. After regulation and overtime – Gloucester 2, Granby 2. Regulation goals – Gloucester, Snavely, Milks; Granby, Johnson 2. Assists – Gloucester, Milks, Snavely; Granby, Davis, Zamesnik. Penalty shootout goals – Gloucester, Carneal, Snavely; Granby, Zamesnik, Gillooly, Sutton, Johnson. Records – Granby 13-5-1, Gloucester 13-5.
MAURY 4, KECOUGHTAN 2
Kecoughtan, a heavy underdog, kept the game close much of the night before falling to Maury.
The Eastern District champion Commodores (11-3-2) built a huge shots advantage and led 1-0 at halftime on Mary Morgan’s goal. Peninsula District runnerup Kecoughtan (10-8-2) stayed within striking distance thanks to sturdy defense from Jamie Edwards, Whitney Moore and goalie Catherine Perry.
But the Commodores pulled away in the second half, when Rachel White assisted on two goals and scored one of her own. The Warriors scored both of their goals in the second half: on a beautiful long shot by Samantha Applin and a penalty kick by Lindsay Ross.
MAURY 4, KECOUGHTAN 2
Halftime — Maury 1-0. Goals — Maury, Morgan, Wright, Ambler, White; Kecoughtan, Applin, Ross. Assists — Maury, White 2. Records — Maury 11-3-2, Kecoughtan 10-8-1.
By Marty O'Brien | mobrien@dailypress.com (mobrien@dailypress.com)
NORFOLK — After misfiring from point-blank range repeatedly Tuesday afternoon, Gloucester High's girls soccer team was forced to fight for its season in a penalty-kick shootout. But the Dukes again were off the mark in PKs and fell 3-2 to Granby in the Eastern Region tournament quarterfinals at Old Dominion.
Victoria Johnson scored both of the Comets' goals in regulation, then netted the decisive shot to give her team a 4-2 edge in the shootout. The Comets (13-5-1) move into today’s semifinals, while the Dukes finished 13-5 after winning the Peninsula District regular-season and tournament titles.
A Gloucester loss appeared almost inconceivable through the first 40 minutes. The Dukes pressed the action into the Granby end and built a 12-0 shots advantage by halftime.
But for all of their dominance, the Dukes had only a one-goal lead to show for it at intermission. Granby goalie Krista Berg began the Dukes’ frustration with a diving save of Linsey Snavely’s shot 16 minutes into the first half.
Snavely put the Dukes ahead 1-0 by slotting a Shelly Milks crossing pass into goal two minutes later. But the Dukes missed open shots over the bar and wide right, so the lead remained at a goal.
Even so, the Comets had displayed nary a sign they could rally. Shelly Bloomfield, Caitlin Richmond, Kate Ramsay and Emily Wingfield led a Gloucester defense that was too aggressive and too hard-working for the Comets to crack in the first 40 minutes.
"They had more heart than us in the first half," Johnson said. "But we talked at halftime about digging deep and working harder. That’s what we did."
Johnson was the catalyst. She broke down the middle and forced a stretch save from the Dukes’ Heidi Lancaster-Taylor two minutes into the second half. Anna Davis missed wide left by inches after gathering the rebound.
Johnson broke free with a Davis pass less than a minute later and scored to tie the game at 1-1. Gloucester followed with five more high-quality shots but failed to score. Berg saved two shots, and three others missed by inches.
Granby snatched the lead 2-1 with 4:02 to play in regulation as Johnson broke free for a goal, courtesy of a Leah Zamesnik pass. But Milks evened the score 78 seconds later by scoring off of a Snavely crossing pass, so the contest moved to 20 minutes of overtime.
It appeared the Dukes would salvage victory 14 minutes into OT, when Hannah Varnell broke open and launched a shot from 12 yards. But the ball bounced off the inside of the left post and back into the field of play.
"It’s frustrating, but you just have to keep hammering away," Varnell said. "You tell yourself one is bound to go in."
But the frustration continued into the best-of-five penalty shootout. One Gloucester player shot over the bar and another missed wide left. The Comets won the shootout 4-2 when Johnson netted a shot low and to the right.
"When you can’t finish shots, you can’t expect to win," Gloucester coach Bob Fisher said. "The name of the game is putting the ball into the back of the net. This is disheartening because these girls worked so hard."
GRANBY 3, GLOUCESTER 2
(Granby wins 4-2 on penalty shootout)
Halftime – Gloucester 1-0. After regulation and overtime – Gloucester 2, Granby 2. Regulation goals – Gloucester, Snavely, Milks; Granby, Johnson 2. Assists – Gloucester, Milks, Snavely; Granby, Davis, Zamesnik. Penalty shootout goals – Gloucester, Carneal, Snavely; Granby, Zamesnik, Gillooly, Sutton, Johnson. Records – Granby 13-5-1, Gloucester 13-5.
MAURY 4, KECOUGHTAN 2
Kecoughtan, a heavy underdog, kept the game close much of the night before falling to Maury.
The Eastern District champion Commodores (11-3-2) built a huge shots advantage and led 1-0 at halftime on Mary Morgan’s goal. Peninsula District runnerup Kecoughtan (10-8-2) stayed within striking distance thanks to sturdy defense from Jamie Edwards, Whitney Moore and goalie Catherine Perry.
But the Commodores pulled away in the second half, when Rachel White assisted on two goals and scored one of her own. The Warriors scored both of their goals in the second half: on a beautiful long shot by Samantha Applin and a penalty kick by Lindsay Ross.
MAURY 4, KECOUGHTAN 2
Halftime — Maury 1-0. Goals — Maury, Morgan, Wright, Ambler, White; Kecoughtan, Applin, Ross. Assists — Maury, White 2. Records — Maury 11-3-2, Kecoughtan 10-8-1.