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EXCELSIOR SPRINGS — A late goal in each half became the difference as the Chillicothe High School soccer Lady Hornets saw their 2009 season come to a conclusion yesterday with a 3-1 loss to Kansas City: Staley in Class 2 District 8 tournament quarterfinal action.
Staley’s Lady Falcons broke a 1-1 tie on Breah Sanders’ penalty kick in the final min-ute of the opening half and, after nearly going the entire 40-minute second half with the score still 2-1, Staley’s Emilee Davison netted the clincher with a couple of minutes left in regulation time.
Chillicothe sophomore Jordan Gardner’s first varsity career goal had tied the match 1-1 about 25 minutes into the contest. Staley had tallied only about seven minutes into the action on a shot by Karla Jamison, CHS coach Bill Allison reported.
“The Lady Falcons definitely had more experienced players on the field, but the Lady Hornets had more players that had pure guts and determination not to let down,” said Allison proudly.
With the loss, the Lady Hornets’ third season of existence ended with a 9-6 overall record. It was their first winning season and included their first winning Midland Empire Conference season. They were 4-3 in the MEC in Allison’s first year at their helm.
The above-.500 season followed a 6-10 debut campaign in 2007 and a break-even 8-8 year in 2008.
With yesterday’s defeat, Chillicothe’s girls – who lose only one senior, defense leader Ellyn Turner – do remain still in quest of their first-ever district victory.
Staley played the ball well with its feet, keeping the Lady Hornets on their heels much of the game, but Chillicothe kept fighting back.
After giving up the early goal, Allison felt his players settled down and “started playing better as a team.”
Improving their defensive coverage, the Lady Hornets won a battle for the ball and made a push toward the Staley goal in the 25th minute. Sophomore reserve Jordan Gardner settled the ball about 20 yards from the goal and sent a beautiful shot past Lady Falcons goalkeeper Madison Gibler to tie it 1-1.
Her first high school career goal “came at the perfect time,” noted the CHS head coach.
The score remained tied until added time at the end of the first half when, after a goal kick did not clear the first line of Staley players and left one unguarded with the ball at her feet near the CHS goal.
As she tried to make a move to the net, she was chased down by Catherine Tipton and, as the two collided, the Lady Falcon went down to the artificial turf in the penalty area, prompting the referee to call a foul on the hustling Lady Hornet and signal for a penalty kick.
“The breakdown on this play originated with leaving a player alone in front of our goal, not the actual contact in the penalty area,” Allison stressed, noting Tipton had little choice but to aggressively attack the ball and hope for the best.
With the foul, Breah Sanders of Staley placed the ball at the penalty spot directly in front of the Chillicothe goal and sent it high past ’keeper Meredith Brick for SHS’ second goal of the game and the eventual game winner.
Staley put constant pressure on the Lady Hornets the entire second half. Chillicothe managed only three shots on goal after intermission, compared to a Staley team Allison called “very fast” which, with the wind at its back, produced 18 shots. Finally, Davison’s goal in the 78th minute put the game out of Chillicothe’s reach.
Staley out-shot Chillicothe 34-8, with CHS junior goalkeeper Meredith Brick keeping CHS within reach of a possible comeback.
“Meredith definitely had her best game of the year,” Allison saluted his junior goalkeeper. “She was pressed much of the game and made some great saves throughout the game.”
EXCELSIOR SPRINGS — A late goal in each half became the difference as the Chillicothe High School soccer Lady Hornets saw their 2009 season come to a conclusion yesterday with a 3-1 loss to Kansas City: Staley in Class 2 District 8 tournament quarterfinal action.
Staley’s Lady Falcons broke a 1-1 tie on Breah Sanders’ penalty kick in the final min-ute of the opening half and, after nearly going the entire 40-minute second half with the score still 2-1, Staley’s Emilee Davison netted the clincher with a couple of minutes left in regulation time.
Chillicothe sophomore Jordan Gardner’s first varsity career goal had tied the match 1-1 about 25 minutes into the contest. Staley had tallied only about seven minutes into the action on a shot by Karla Jamison, CHS coach Bill Allison reported.
“The Lady Falcons definitely had more experienced players on the field, but the Lady Hornets had more players that had pure guts and determination not to let down,” said Allison proudly.
With the loss, the Lady Hornets’ third season of existence ended with a 9-6 overall record. It was their first winning season and included their first winning Midland Empire Conference season. They were 4-3 in the MEC in Allison’s first year at their helm.
The above-.500 season followed a 6-10 debut campaign in 2007 and a break-even 8-8 year in 2008.
With yesterday’s defeat, Chillicothe’s girls – who lose only one senior, defense leader Ellyn Turner – do remain still in quest of their first-ever district victory.
Staley played the ball well with its feet, keeping the Lady Hornets on their heels much of the game, but Chillicothe kept fighting back.
After giving up the early goal, Allison felt his players settled down and “started playing better as a team.”
Improving their defensive coverage, the Lady Hornets won a battle for the ball and made a push toward the Staley goal in the 25th minute. Sophomore reserve Jordan Gardner settled the ball about 20 yards from the goal and sent a beautiful shot past Lady Falcons goalkeeper Madison Gibler to tie it 1-1.
Her first high school career goal “came at the perfect time,” noted the CHS head coach.
The score remained tied until added time at the end of the first half when, after a goal kick did not clear the first line of Staley players and left one unguarded with the ball at her feet near the CHS goal.
As she tried to make a move to the net, she was chased down by Catherine Tipton and, as the two collided, the Lady Falcon went down to the artificial turf in the penalty area, prompting the referee to call a foul on the hustling Lady Hornet and signal for a penalty kick.
“The breakdown on this play originated with leaving a player alone in front of our goal, not the actual contact in the penalty area,” Allison stressed, noting Tipton had little choice but to aggressively attack the ball and hope for the best.
With the foul, Breah Sanders of Staley placed the ball at the penalty spot directly in front of the Chillicothe goal and sent it high past ’keeper Meredith Brick for SHS’ second goal of the game and the eventual game winner.
Staley put constant pressure on the Lady Hornets the entire second half. Chillicothe managed only three shots on goal after intermission, compared to a Staley team Allison called “very fast” which, with the wind at its back, produced 18 shots. Finally, Davison’s goal in the 78th minute put the game out of Chillicothe’s reach.
Staley out-shot Chillicothe 34-8, with CHS junior goalkeeper Meredith Brick keeping CHS within reach of a possible comeback.
“Meredith definitely had her best game of the year,” Allison saluted his junior goalkeeper. “She was pressed much of the game and made some great saves throughout the game.”
