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Lady Saints edge Ripley with late goal, 1-0
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By Tony Boyd For The Ledger Independent
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A late strategic move by the St. Patrick coaching staff proved to be a stroke of genius as the Lady Saints were able to post a late goal en route a 1-0 victory over the Ripley Lady Jays on Monday, at the Tom Browning Boys and Girls Club.
The move came in the 70th minute of the game with the two teams in a scoreless deadlock. St. Patrick coach Sally Parker moved sophomore Libby Mason from her defensive position up into an offensive position in a last-ditch effort to scratch out a goal and as it turned out thatís exactly what happened. About two minutes later, Mason worked her way down the field and retrieved the ball on the side of the goal. Her shot bounced off the hands of Ripley's keeper Whitney Plymesser into the goal for the only score of the game.
"I have to give credit to (assistant coach) Misty Pfeffer," Parker said. "It was her idea to try it and I agreed to it."
Neither team was able to generate much offense in the first 72 minutes of the game, which was played mainly in the middle of the field. The Blue Jays managed only eight shots on goal in the contest, none of which were serious attempts. The Lady Saints on the other hand fired off a total of 14 shots.
St. Patrick did threaten in the 20th minute, but the shot attempt went wide of the goal. Late in the first half, Morgan Swolsky created a serious opportunity, but her attempt hit the crossbar and bounced away from the goal.
"We got a little sluggish in the last part of the first half," said Parker. "But, they did come back stronger in the second half and worked really well together. Ali Moe and Leslie Pfeffer had excellent games."
Midway through the second half, it looked as if St. Patrick senior Molly Parker was going to give her team the lead when she shot the ball from about 20 yards out from right in front of the goal. However, her strong kick went wide of the goal.
Before the start of the game, St. Patrick honored its four seniors (Parker, Pfeffer, Jessica Swolsky, and Tina Mellenkamp.
"I start to tear up when I just think about the seniors," Parker said. "They are going to be missed. Molly, Leslie and Tina have been with us all four years. This is Jessica's first year and she has been a good addition for us."
St. Patrick will play its last regular-season game on Wednesday at Russell and then will start preparing for next week's district tournament and first-round opponent, Mason County.
"I'm excited about playing Mason County," Parker said. "I like the girls on their team. I've coached several of them in the spring soccer league. We'll have a full team so it should be an exciting game."
Ripley 0 0 ñ 0
St. Patrick 0 1 ñ 1
SP-Mason, 72nd minute |
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