Kevin Leibrock - Plainfield Flyer
10/24/2008
AVON – With a 3-2 win over Roncalli in Wednesday’s regional final, the Brownsburg girls’ soccer team advanced to semi-state for the second straight season.
But to get the victory, the Bulldogs had to survive a wild second half against a resilient Rebel squad.
“It really does feel good (to be back in semi-state),” Brownsburg coach Phil Slavens said. “We’re obviously going to have to play better on Saturday than we did tonight. Roncalli played very, very hard, they pushed us. But overall, it was a very good effort from our kids.”
Brownsburg controlled the ball for much of the first half—out-shooting the Rebels 8-0 en route to a 2-0 halftime lead—but in a much tighter second half, Roncalli scored both its goals and both teams fired off six shot attempts. The Bulldogs have not given up more than two goals in a game this season.
“I think I lost focus more than they did,” Slavens said. “They never seemed to be worried at all. I’m very pleased with how the seniors and captains really kept it together. Roncalli really played a good match.”
It was a defensive struggle early, as neither team managed a shot on goal until Brownsburg’s Darcy Falcone lofted the ball into Roncalli goalkeeper Shelby Nolot’s arms with 32:31 to go in the first half. The Bulldogs got on the board just minutes later, when Bulldog Rhea Proctor beat a fallen Nolot to the ball, knocking it into the net.
Brownsburg made it 2-0 with 15:05 to go in the half, on a close-range goal from Savanna Bunn.
Despite facing a two-goal deficit at halftime, the Rebels did not give up. Roncalli scored just nine minutes into the second half, when a host of Rebels crowded the net and Tina Follis punched it in. Brownsburg extended the lead to 3-1 on a goal from Nicole Duncan, but Roncalli responded just 1:22 later on a goal from Shelby Spinelli.
Brownsburg successfully defended Roncalli’s attempts at a rally over the final 24:23.
“Rachel Fulkerson, my backup goalkeeper, absolutely came up monstrous,” Slavens said. “She’s only given up one goal in the last eight games. She is just playing great.”
With the win, the Bulldogs return to semi-state, where they dropped a 1-0 decision to Cathedral last year in the final. Brownsburg will face either Cathedral (13-5-2) or North Central (15-4-2) Saturday at 10 a.m. at North Central.
“It will be a great match, with whoever comes out of that,” Slavens said. “We’ll certainly have to play better to advance, but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
|
«
Return to previous page
»
Send to a friend
|
|
| IHSAA - GIRLS SOCCER |
|
Katie Loehr of Evansville Memorial High School was named winner of the 2009 Mental Attitude Award for Girls Soccer by ...
Read Full Story→
|
|
The Fighting Irish of Indianapolis Cathedral won their second girls soccer state championship in three years as they defeated the ...
Read Full Story→
|
|
David Spradlin of Burnettsville is the recipient of the 2009 Interscholastic Athletic Official Association Award for excellence in the sport ...
Read Full Story→
|
| Girls Soccer News |
1 to 20 of 28 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|