By Nick Brockman, Messenger Sports Reporter nbrockman@the-messenger.com
Midway through the second-half, the Madisonville-North Hopkins girls soccer team needed just one goal to knot the contest with Owensboro Catholic at Donley Field on Tuesday night.
The Lady Maroons added another goal, but it came between a flurry of activity courtesy of the Lady Aces offense as Owensboro Catholic eventually prevailed 5-3.
"The second half, they just played with heart and effort and you can't ask for more from the girls," Owensboro Catholic coach Durand Engineer said. "They're figuring out how to play in the system and our defense has picked up tremendously."
Both squads entered halftime tied at 1-1. Aces senior Jessica Ralph broke the tie five minutes into the second half. Then, both offenses remained dormant until Stephanie Dooper scored on a direct kick with 21:10 left in the game to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.
Lady Maroon senior forward Laura Rao brought the North deficit right back to one goal a minute later when she headed the ball to the back of the net.
Owensboro Catholic's Erin Lane pushed the advantage back to two with her own rapid-fire goal with 19:07 left in the second half. The goal appeared to steal any momentum North felt after the score by Rao.
Through their first four games, the Lady Aces amounted just four goals, but found their offensive stride Tuesday.
The Lady Maroons added another goal, but it came between a flurry of activity courtesy of the Lady Aces offense as Owensboro Catholic eventually prevailed 5-3.
"The second half, they just played with heart and effort and you can't ask for more from the girls," Owensboro Catholic coach Durand Engineer said. "They're figuring out how to play in the system and our defense has picked up tremendously."
Both squads entered halftime tied at 1-1. Aces senior Jessica Ralph broke the tie five minutes into the second half. Then, both offenses remained dormant until Stephanie Dooper scored on a direct kick with 21:10 left in the game to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.
Lady Maroon senior forward Laura Rao brought the North deficit right back to one goal a minute later when she headed the ball to the back of the net.
Owensboro Catholic's Erin Lane pushed the advantage back to two with her own rapid-fire goal with 19:07 left in the second half. The goal appeared to steal any momentum North felt after the score by Rao.
Through their first four games, the Lady Aces amounted just four goals, but found their offensive stride Tuesday.
everal different formations and combinations," Engineer said. "This one, we're starting to figure out who plays well with each other and it's kind of working.
"Jessica Ralph and Erin Lane played fantastic here on the left and in the middle. Maybe, I think we'll stick with that in the future.
Anna McNulty scored with 12:45 to go to finish the scoring for Owensboro Catholic.
North notched the game's final score with four minutes remaining to pull within two on another Rao header.
The Lady Maroons had several chances in the final minutes to give the visitors a thrill, but did not make good on any of their opportunities.
"Defensively, we had too many breakdowns," North coach John Tichenor said. "I'm not really too sure what happened other than (Ralph) was running free. Five goals is entirely too many goals. You're not going to win any matches by giving up five goals."
See Loss/Page B8
In the first half, senior Kaitlyn Elder scored the contest's first point to put Owensboro Catholic ahead just four minutes into action. Elder accepted a long pass from across midfield. She dribbled past one defender, stopped and fired a shot past North keeper Sarah Kelly, who took the brunt of the blast, but the ball trickled past.
Lady Maroon freshman Penny Plumier tied the game at 1-1 nearly 20 minutes later when she rocketed a side kick from the left side to the back of the net.
"We were told in the scouting report that the goal keeper had trouble with high balls and Penny took advantage of it and hit it where it had to be and scored," Tichenor said.
Lady Aces junior Julia Klump left the game in the first half with a sprain ankle, Durand said.
In junior varsity action, North prevailed 2-1. Morgan Duvall and Anna Duff provided single goals for the Lady Maroons. North returns to action 7 p.m. Tuesday to play host to Daviess County. Owensboro Catholic next plays 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Warren Central.
1st half
36:11, Kaitlyn Elder (OC) - OC 1-0
14:50, Penny Plumier, side kick - tied 1-1
2nd half
35:40, Jessica Ralph (OC) - OC 2-1
21:10, Stephanie Dooper, direct kick (OC) - 3-1
20:02, Laura Rao, header (MNH) - OC 3-2
19:07, Erin Lane (OC) - OC 4-2
12:45, Anna McNulty (OC) - OC 5-2
4:00, Rao, header (MNH) - OC 5-3
"Jessica Ralph and Erin Lane played fantastic here on the left and in the middle. Maybe, I think we'll stick with that in the future.
Anna McNulty scored with 12:45 to go to finish the scoring for Owensboro Catholic.
North notched the game's final score with four minutes remaining to pull within two on another Rao header.
The Lady Maroons had several chances in the final minutes to give the visitors a thrill, but did not make good on any of their opportunities.
"Defensively, we had too many breakdowns," North coach John Tichenor said. "I'm not really too sure what happened other than (Ralph) was running free. Five goals is entirely too many goals. You're not going to win any matches by giving up five goals."
See Loss/Page B8
In the first half, senior Kaitlyn Elder scored the contest's first point to put Owensboro Catholic ahead just four minutes into action. Elder accepted a long pass from across midfield. She dribbled past one defender, stopped and fired a shot past North keeper Sarah Kelly, who took the brunt of the blast, but the ball trickled past.
Lady Maroon freshman Penny Plumier tied the game at 1-1 nearly 20 minutes later when she rocketed a side kick from the left side to the back of the net.
"We were told in the scouting report that the goal keeper had trouble with high balls and Penny took advantage of it and hit it where it had to be and scored," Tichenor said.
Lady Aces junior Julia Klump left the game in the first half with a sprain ankle, Durand said.
In junior varsity action, North prevailed 2-1. Morgan Duvall and Anna Duff provided single goals for the Lady Maroons. North returns to action 7 p.m. Tuesday to play host to Daviess County. Owensboro Catholic next plays 7:15 p.m. Thursday at Warren Central.
1st half
36:11, Kaitlyn Elder (OC) - OC 1-0
14:50, Penny Plumier, side kick - tied 1-1
2nd half
35:40, Jessica Ralph (OC) - OC 2-1
21:10, Stephanie Dooper, direct kick (OC) - 3-1
20:02, Laura Rao, header (MNH) - OC 3-2
19:07, Erin Lane (OC) - OC 4-2
12:45, Anna McNulty (OC) - OC 5-2
4:00, Rao, header (MNH) - OC 5-3
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