Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Second Half Key for 6 - 0 St. Margaret's Win
The pressure of a long, successful, two or three times contested, reign atop the League of Independent Schools (L.I.S.) Conference standings can build over the course of a season. You have to take it out on the little guy sometimes to prove you are worthy, and so it happened for St. Margaret's varsity soccer team last Friday, February 5 versus a league-last Trinity squad.
Team tri-captains Elizabeth Sadler, Roz Rogers, and Kim Houck are all smiles after a 6 - 0 shutout over league rival Trinity last Friday, February 5
SMS (6 - 1 - 2 overall; 6 - 0 - 2 L.I.S Conference), undefeated and ranked first in the L.I.S. Conference, did not play like a top team in the opening twenty minutes. That made the outcome of the first half look more respectable for underdog Trinity than it should have been.
Senior tri-captain wing-forward Kim Houck, of Fredericksville, put SMS in the scorebooks first with a close-in goal assisted by fellow tri-captain senior Elizabeth Sadler. Houck, in true soccer player fashion, celebrated her goal by running wide, loopy circles to midfield with both arms spread v-shaped above her head, leaning sideways, fists clenched, and grinning ear-to-ear amidst a pack of jubilant teammates.
With less than a minute remaining in the first half, sophomore center-halfback Carol Combs, of Statesboro, GA, increased the SMS lead to 2 - 0 with a ball driven past Trinity's goalkeeper.
"The first half was more us playing a little soft, a lack of confidence maybe. We have quicker players and play more physical," said Head Coach Karen McCann. "We wanted to come out and show them a different team in the second half."
Combs, who scored in the final minute of the first half, opened with the first minute of the second half with a score as well. Combs, a strong shooter demonstrating pinpoint accuracy, fired a drop kick ball from 40 yards away to give SMS a 3 - 0 lead. Minutes later, Houck added her second goal of the game on a one-footer to give SMS a commanding 4 - 0 lead.
Uncle Mo sat comfortably atop the Scotties' backs as SMS players began to take a barrage of shot attempts at Trinity's goalkeeper. McCann, comfortable with a 4 - 0 lead over a weak Trinity team, moved senior tri-captain Roz Rogers, of Northern, VA, up to the front line at wing-forward and substituted many starters. Rogers, who normally plays defensive stopper, scored a goal of her own with less than fifteen minutes remaining in the second half to put SMS up 5 - 0. Senior wing-forward Lacey Wright provided the exclamation point as SMS enjoyed its largest margin of victory of the season, a 6 - 0 win.
In the teams' first meeting a month ago at Trinity in Richmond, the Scotties again played rather lackadaisical and slow, but SMS held on for a 3 - 0 win. Last Friday, coming off consecutive ties to league opponents, St. Anne's-Belfield (STAB) and St. Catherine's, SMS wanted to assert itself as the dominant team in the conference. The Scotties did just that and remain undefeated in conference play.
Sophomore sweeper Britt Faulkner, of Whitestone, gave a dominating performance controlling the middle of the field for SMS. "Your sweeper, number eleven, really looked strong today. You guys are the team to beat right now," said Trinity's coach following Friday's game.
"We are playing with half-confidence right now but even so it would be a disappointment to lose no matter who we play. We hope to build on this game next week and hold the top seed for the playoffs," answered McCann.
SMS' next game will be Thursday versus STAB on its home field adjacent to Essex Intermediate School. SMS looks to avenge a scoreless tie forced by STAB two weeks ago in Charlottesville.
