“We not only have Stevie (Heidzing) to anchor the defense and Kelsay (Leingang) back in goal, we have Jessica Fredrick and Amanda Davis, who was first team all-district last year,” Wubbena said. “We have added a couple of strong defenders to the mix as well in Kristen Meinert and Amy Coffey. Our defense would not be complete without Shelby Rust as our back midfielder.”
Along with having a solid defense, the Lady ‘Cats also have plenty of leadership. Having six seniors and numerous juniors on this year’s squad has helped a lot, especially with the maturation of the freshman class.
After catching both of the teams opening matches, both wins against COC foes Carthage and Branson, I can attest to the high level of enthusiasm and commitment to team defense. I’d also suggest that GK Kelsay Leingang and center back Stevie Heidzig (who I’d like to see moved into the middle to improve the offensive opportunities for the squad) could play for any team in the region. Najee Donson wasn’t available (on a Spring Break vacation following a full basketball season) for these early games but when she returns she will be the primary focus of the offense.
Springfield Catholic – 10 Neosho Wildcats – 0
The Wildcats ran into a buzzsaw tonight at Cooper #1 as the Irish wasted no time attacking the goal, scoring 3 goals in the first 10 minutes. The scoring pace slowed but the game still finished in the 60th minute this evening as Bekah Bade slotted in the final 2 goals, both scored in the second half, to go with her first half header (pictured). Maddy Bailes added a pair of goals, one directly from a corner kick, along with a pair of assists. Erin Fitzgerald, Conner Guy, Shelby Hatz, Andrea Parker and Natalie Smid all scored as well.
Logan-Rogersville Wildcats – 2 Branson Pirates – 0
A pair of goals in the first 20 minutes provided the difference in this early season COC match up. The first goal came from freshman Haley Weeks, followed by jr Stevie Heidzig who once again scored on a direct kick against the Pirates. This one came from 25 yards out and without the dramatics of her OT game-winner at Branson last year. Second straight shutout for GK Kelsay Leingang, who won in PK’s Monday against Carthage.
Helias Crusaders – 4 Waynesville Tigers – 0
From the Jeff City News-Tribune: Up 2-0 at the half Tuesday, the Helias Lady Crusaders were in control of their game with the Waynesville Lady Tigers. They just didn’t look smooth doing it. “It was a little bit of chaos,” Helias soccer coach Chuck Register said. “We needed to settle down a little bit, start thinking a little bit instead of just reacting.”
Ozark Tigers – 5 Harrison Lady Goblins – 0
From the new OzarkTigerSoccer.wordpress.com website – Senior forward Alicia Collard (pictured above with freshman Morgan Davidson) opened the game up for the Lady Tigers with a hat trick in the first twelve minutes of play.
Hickman Kewpies – 2 Pembroke Hill – 0
From the Missourian The Hickman girls soccer team has been practicing corner kicks lately. It paid off on Tuesday evening when the Kewpies scored two goals off of corner kicks to defeat visiting Pembroke Hill 2-0.
Logan-Rogersville Wildcats – 1 (via PKs) Carthage Tigers – 0
At halftime, both teams have had one good opportunity with Carthage’s shot on goal stopped well by Wildcat GK Kelsay Leingang who got down fast in front of a ball headed for the corner. LogRog has had several opportunities in the box but the only shot went wide right past the upright.
The game went to PKs following a pair of scoreless OT periods that saw both keepers making important saves to keep the clean sheets, including the save by Leingang of LogRog who stopped the Tiger’s #12 who made a 40 yard run into the box before unleashing the close range shot that was pushed wide in the 2nd OT. The win goes to to the Wildcats as they open the season for the second straight year with a win in extra time over their COC foe.
UPDATE – From the Carthage Press: Rogers said Logan-Rogersville scored on two of its penalty kicks after the clock ran out while Carthage was unable to convert on any of its free chances.
UPDATE – Lebanon Yellowjackets vs Helias Crusaders – canceled due to field conditions, scheduled to be played April 30th now
Ozark Tigers – 1 Springfield Catholic – 0
The Tigers scored in the 17th minute tonight as freshman Morgan Davidson looped a ball to the far post, reminiscent of Clint Dempsey’s recent goal for Fulham. Not a bad introduction to the varsity for the Coach’s daughter as the Tigers held on to defeat the Irish.
The game went through several cycles with early pressure by Catholic until the Tigers began finding openings down the center of the field. Ozark was playing a 3-2-3-2 formation tonight, with Rachel Haden and Megan Stodden both positioned as defensive midfielders/stoppers in front of sweeper Megan Jenisch. The central midfield role was filled by Megan Davidson initially, or Megan Gunnels when she would move back from her front-runner position where she began with Alicia Collard. With Stodden or Haden making forward runs based upon conditions, the Tigers were able to get numbers in the middle while offering a stout defense against the Irish’s potent attack.
Hemphill was the busier keeper tonight and made several important saves, especially late as Catholic began to solve the defensive riddle they faced with the unusual formation. She pushed one shot up and over, followed that with a point blank save she pushed wide and finished with a little help from her outside defender, Keysha Burns, who cleared a shot that got past her keeper (see video below), all in the final 5 minutes of the game.
The Irish, with a pair of quality keepers, opened with Rachel Scott who was hamstrung by the early goal and came up big on a late opportunity that she parried and was cleared off the line by Carsen Baron, fresh from her basketball adventures (along with 4 other soccer teammates). Megan Goetzinger got help from her defense on one broken play and came up big on several late counter-attacks by the Tigers to keep the Irish close.
Logan-Rogersville Wildcats – 2 (2nd OT) Carthage Tigers – 1
The Wildcats earned their first win in their first game Monday on a set piece midway through the second overtime period. It was scored by junior Najee Donson (otherwise known as babbiboo32), on a shot just inside the 6-yard box, after a fine cross by #15(?). That’s Najee (#32) celebrating with teammates immediately after scoring the golden goal.
It was a grey, windy afternoon and much of the play was isolated to the downwind side of the field as both teams worked to create offensive opportunities. Carthage got their goal from senior Patricia Marin (#1) midway through the second half when she scored on a direct kick from just outside the box. Logan-Rogersville got their goal from freshman Kadi Leonardi (#16) soon afterwards, leading to the overtime period. Goalies were Phylicia Lewis for Carthage and Kelsay Leingang for Logan-Rogersville.
I have to offer a shout out to the Lady Tigers. With 31 players on the overall roster, the team bench was standing and cheering every play through out the game. I thought I was at a Jonas Brothers concert given the volume and amount of cheering that occurred. That same enthusiasm is spilling over to their new website (add it to your list of links) where they already have 17 positive comments. Well done ladies!
Camdenton Lakers – 10 Richland Bears – 0
Senior Stephanie Kirvan gets a pair as 6 different girls score in the game against the Class 1 foe. Junior Latea LaRue, and freshmen Kayla Utley and Cassie Hale scored a pair of goals each while junior Jessica Smith and sophomore Ashley Paschel each scored one. Sophomores Jessica Colliver and Sandra Shore shared time in goal.
Springfield Catholic – 10 Pleasant Hope Pirates – 0
Provided by soccermom: Shelby Hatz, Mandy Bailes, and Bekah Bade scored two goals apiece and Rachel Herron, Emily Loethen, Jordan Banasik, and Emily Ortega each scored a goal as Catholic won the opening game of the season against District foe, the Lady Pirates, in Pleasant Hope. Maddy Renner, Courtney Devlin, and AnnMarie Banasik each recorded two assists and Natalie Smid added one assist.
Lebanon Yellowjackets – 2 (PK’s) Jefferson City Helias Crusaders - 1
After a 1-1 tie in regulation, the Yellowjackets and Crusaders played a pair of scoreless overtime periods. The Yellowjackets prevailed in PK’s 4-3
