Springfield Catholic – 4
Nixa Eagles – 0
Springfield Catholic wasted no time tonight putting their high-powered offense to work in defending their Middle School title. In the 9th Michelle Garrison’s run into the box was interrupted by the Nixa keeper’s charge, but when the ball bounced loose it was Garrison who pounced on it and sent it into the back of the net. In the 17th, a corner kick by Ally Banasik curled into the net, untouched, to give the Irish a 2-0 lead one-fourth of the way into the game.

Nixa was not without opportunities this evening but the keeper only had to make a couple of saves each half, as Brittany Kirkpatrick made a pair of patented runs straight down the middle of the Catholic defense each half, forcing saves. The Eagle’s didn’t have the depth to match this Catholic team however and the Irish got two more goals before the game ended.

7th grader Nicole Ortega got goal #3 as time was elapsing in the 1st half when her 30 yard shot from the left side eluded the leaping keeper before falling under the cross bar and into the right side netting. The final goal came in the 50th when Jordan Gamble was able to weave her way into the right side of the box before unleashing a well-placed shot that got past the keeper for the final margin. Shut out was a team effort lead by goalies Mary Wichmer and Natalie Closser.

This is Catholic’s second straight title and according to some feedback at last year’s game, their 3rd title in 13 visits to the Finals. The common link in the Catholic wins? A Holtman on board, Elle in 2001 as a 7th grader and her sister this past two years.