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Bishop girls soccer kick it to Guards |
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Tuesday, 19 February 2008 |
 Mikaela Griffiths scored a pair of goals against Bellarmine-Jefferson on Wednesday, including this one, as Bishop won the windy battle 5-1. Photo by Keith Rainville By Keith Rainville
Sports Editor 2-16-2008
It felt like three teams took the field in Bishop on Wednesday as the Lady Broncos battled Bellarmine-Jefferson in the Wild Card round of the CIFSS Division 6 playoffs. A 30-40 mph wind howling from the north was a palpable force, and all six goals were scored when Bishop or Bell-Jeff had the wind at their backs. The Lady Broncos got the better of the action, scoring five unanswered goals to advance to the next round.
The Lady Broncos rode out the storm in the first half, using low passes to keep possession of the ball and to advance it into the teeth of the wind. Carla Ecklund and Whitney Pate both had big first halves for Bishop. The two midfield players carried the ball at their feet for much of the half, keeping control of the ball and passing on the ground to teammates. Bishop was able to keep the ball long enough to take valuable minutes off the clock while playing against both the Lady Guards and the wind.
“Our girls moved the ball really well considering the conditions,” said Bishop head coach Dave Mappus. “Our defense kept us in the game in the first half.”
Heidi Patrykus, Sara Tatum and Michaela Griffiths also did a nice job of dribbling up the wings and carrying the ball deep into the Lady Guards defense. Even though the Lady Broncos weren’t able to finish any shots, they were able to keep Bell-Jeff away from their goal for much of the half.
Bell-Jeff was able to score a goal in the 10th minute when a player drove the left side of the field, eluded a pair of Bishop defenders and launched a shot that curved with the wind and slipped inside of the far post.
The Lady Broncos generated a couple of scoring chances into the wind. In the 30th minute Kaleigh McClinton had a tight shot on goal saved and then moments later, Griffiths beat her defender down the left side and passed into the center. Tatum ran onto the nice pass and launched a strong, low shot that was pushed just wide.
Just before the half, Bishop goalkeeper Alyssa Cammarata made a leaping save on a high shot, knocking the ball down. The save helped Bishop escape the half down just 0-1.
“We told the girls at halftime that everything was going to change once we had the win,” said Mappus. “All we had to do was keep moving the ball with great passing and we were going to get some good looks at scoring.”
In the second half, Bishop controlled the game. Bell-Jeff spent less than three minutes inside the Lady Broncos’ half of the field, and with the wind at its back, Bishop piled on shot after shot after shot.
Three minutes into the half, Jazmin Rossi tied the game for Bishop. Tatum took a corner kick from the right side and bent it into the wind. The ball was knocked off the near post by a defender, but the wind kept the ball in the middle of the 18-yard box, McClinton won the loose ball and passed to Rossi who drove a shot left that ricocheted into the net.
With the pressure of being behind off their backs, the Lady Broncos settled into the game and the goals came pouring in. In the 10th minute of the second half, Pate teed up an unlikely shot from about 35 yards out, but with the wind behind it, the shot sailed high, picking up speed and darting into the top of the net over the diminutive Lady Guards keeper. Griffiths quickly followed with another Bishop goal, winning possession of a goal kick that traveled about 20 yards, making a move on a defender and launching a low shot to the left corner for a 3-1 Bishop lead.
The Lady Broncos stayed focussed and didn’t let Bell-Jeff go on any runs. The Bishop defense did a good job of being aggressive to loose balls and attacking opposing forwards.
Jenna Sliger gave the Lady Broncos a 4-1 lead when she launched another long shot, from about 30 yards out. The low, bounding shot hit the inside of the right post bouncing forward around the Bell-Jeff keeper. On a normal day the keeper would have been able to grab the ball, but the wind stopped the rebound and then pushed the ball backward and left into the left corner for a slow-motion score.
Bishop scored one final goal after Amanda Fix and Rossi won possession of a loose ball and passed it right to Griffiths on the far post. Griffiths slotted a low shot across the goal mouth into the left corner for a 5-1 final.
“We won in some of the most harsh conditions that I have ever coached,” said Mappus.
With the home win, the Lady Broncos advanced to the round of 32 inn the Division 6 playoffs. Bishop will play at New Community High School today at 7 p.m. in the West Hills area.
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Last Updated ( Friday, 11 April 2008 )
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