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Show B2 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2007 Spanish Fork Covering what matters most Lady Dons Soccer round-up <tf^fiy Spanish Fork vs. South Summit Brent Thurgood STAFF WRITER Namon Bills / Spanish Fork News IN HOT PURSUIT: Spanish Fork's Lupe Espinosa, 17, and Jennifer Youd, 3, work to beat two Wolverine defenders to the ball. Lady Dons fall to Wolverines 3-1 Scott Elliott STAFF WRITER The Spanish Fork girls soccer team put their 4-1 winning record on the line last Thursday, Aug. 23, against the Wolverines of Hunter High School at a game in Spanish Fork with one of the largest spectator crowds observed this season. The Lady Dons scored early, within the first couple of minutes of the game, with a hard shot by forward Wendy Mejia that brushed over the goalie's outstretched arms and finger tips as it sailed into the back of the net. However, this was the last goal that the Dons would score against Hunter as the Wolverines upset the Lady Dons by winning 3-1. The first half saw Spanish Fork's front line of Laura Vincent, Wendy Mejia and Jennifer Youd make five good shots that barely missed their mark. Hunter, on the other hand, was only able to take three shots during the first half due to the stingy defense of the Lady Dons. One of the Wolverine's shots hit pay dirt as it went into the right side of the net over the outstretched hands of Kylee Bufton, the Don's goalie. This tied the game at 1-1 going into halftime. Both points scored by the Wolverines in the second half were off of penalty kicks resulting from infractions by Spanish Fork players. Hunter's first penalty kick was made from within the box with only the goalie to defend: However, the second penalty kick was amazingly scored from midfield, going over the Don's goalie's outstretched hands for the score. The second half saw five missed shots taken by Spanish Fork to two missed shots taken by Hunter. All five shots by the Dons were saved by the athletic play of the Wolverines1 goalie. One of the two shots by Hunter was stopped by the Don's goalie, Bufton, as the Wolverine player charged hard to the net. This game was a closer game than the score indicated. The Lady Dons played well against this Salt Lake Valley team, and they showed that they can stay with any team that comes their way. The Dons will now enter into regional play starting with a home game against Timpanogos High School on Thursday, Aug. 30 at 4 p.m. The following week, after the Labor Day weekend, they will play two away games against Lone Peak and American Fork on Wednesday and Friday at 4 p.m. Spanish Fork scuttles Cyprus Pirates 3-2 Brent Thurgood STAFF WRITER Spanish Fork's Lady Don soccer team bounced back from the first loss of the season with a hard-fought victory over the Pirates of Cyprus High School on Aug. 17,2007. Neither team was able to get the ball in the net for the first 40 minutes despite numerous chances, especially the Pirates. During one possession in front of the Spanish Fork goal, three Cyprus kicks hit both posts and the cross bar before the fourth kick sailed over the Lady Dons' goal and out of bounds. Spanish Fork's best scoring opportunity came on a cross from Senior Natasha Sanborn to Wendy Mejia which was blocked by the Pirate goalie. The majority of the first half minutes, however, were played in Spanish Fork's end of the field. The Dons must have felt lucky to end thefirsthalf in a scoreless tie. Spanish Fork scored the game's first goal early in the second half as Junior Jennifer Youd broke away from the Cyprus defender and was pushed from behind just outside the penalty box. The foul gave Spanish Fork a free kick. Senior Laura Vincent took the free kick, which glanced off the Cyprus goalie into the net fora 1-0 lead. Spanish Fork kept up the pressure, scoring their second goal of the game just 30 seconds later on a goal from Wendy Mejia and an assist from Youd. Spanish Fork held onto the two-goal lead for a majority of the second half, only to see some bad breaks and missed kicks allow Cyprus back in the game. With just under 10 minutes to play, a Spanish Fork defender slipped in front of the goal which allowed a clear Steve Hardman / Spanish Fork News SLIDE TACKLE: Tina Ferguson knocks the ball away from one of the Cyprus players. shot on goal for the Cyprus player. The goal cut Spanish Fork's lead in half. Two minutes later Spanish Fork was unable to clear a Cyprus corner kick leaving the ball in front of the Dons goal. Cyprus capitalized on the Dons' mistake to tie the game at 2-2 with just minutes left. Spanish Fork continued to press forward as the clock ticked away. Senior Lindsee Thurgood pushed the ball up the right side and was fouled while attempting to cross it in front of the Cyprus goal. The foul gave Spanish Fork a free kick with less than a minute remaining. Senior Haley Richardson kicked a perfectly placed shot over the Cyprus wall of defenders and the goalie's outstretched arms for the gamewinning goal. The Lady Dons traveled to Kamas on Aug. 20, 2007 for a match up against the Wildcats of South Summit High School. Spanish Fork wasted no time in getting on the score board. Just minutes into the game, junior Jennifer Youd crossed the ball in front of the Wildcat goal, allowing Senior Laura Vincent to deflect the ball into goal for a 1-0 lead. Spanish Fork added two more goals in the first half, both by Youd for a 3-0 lead. The key, however, was Spanish Fork's relentless pressure. The entire game was played in the Wildcat's end of the field. In fact, the Wildcats were only able to get one or two shots on goal the entire first half. The Lady Don midfield and defense including Britney Jones, Katelyn Elliott, Jessie Anderson, Amanda Barlow, Ashley Shelley and a host of others seemed to throw up a wall at mid-field, preventing the ball from entering the Spanish Fork side of the field. After 40 minutes of play, the Dons held a commanding 3-0 lead. Spanish Fork continued the pressure in the second half, but they were unable to get a shot past the Wildcat goalie. The Wildcats were able to get on the score board 20 minutes into the second half as they picked up a goal to cut the lead to 3-1. Three minutes later Spanish Fork regained their three-goal lead on a throwin from the left side. The Wildcats play on a football field, which is considerably narrower than a regulation soccer field. Senior Kelli Roach took advantage of the narrow field, placing the throw-in directly in front of the Wildcat goal. Laura Vincent deflected the ball into the net for her second goal of the game, putting the Dons on top for the final score of 4—1. Soccer gets 2OT win Scott Elliott STAFF WRITER The Spanish Fork girls' soccer team traveled to North Sanpete High School last Tuesday night, Aug. 14, 2007 to take on the Hawks. It rained all around Mt. Pleasant, and at first it appeared that the game might be canceled or played in a rainstorm. However, the storms skirted around the town and the game was played. This pre-season game was played in quarters with both head coaches acting as referees and doing some coaching while on the field. By dividing the game into quarters, both teams could platoon in players by quarters rather than being told to report-in by the coaches. The Dons dominated the ball during the first quarter. They took some good shots, but barely missed their marks. However, in the last minute of the quarter, Haley Richardson connected on a hard shot from the center of the field directly into the net, scoring the first goal of the game. In the second quarter both teams playing hard. The Dons' Kylee Bufton saved numerous goal attempts by the Hawks, as did the goalie for the Lady Hawks. At the end of the second quarter the Lady Dons were still up 1-0 going into the half. In the third quarter both teams performed about the same until a penalty was committed by a Lady Don inside their own box. This allowed the Hawks to take the penalty kick just outside the net with only the goalie between the kicker and the goal. The shot was good, which tied the score at 1-1. Both teams kept it going during the fourth quarter. They both had good goalies that were blocking shots. The Dons' Bufton saved numerous goal attempts by the Hawks as the game wound down. Spanish Fork shot five times at the goal compared to North Sanpete's three times in the last quarter. The defenses for both teams were holding tough, and the game ended in a tie at 1-1. This brought on the first overtime. The Spanish Fork Dons came out playing aggressively. They could smell a victory, but could not get the ball into the net for the win. Spanish Fork definitely took more shots than the Hawks, and dominated by keeping the ball on the Hawks' side of the field. Unfortunately for the Dons, the Hawks' goalie played exceptionally well, blocking shot after shot. At the end of the first overtime the scored remained tied at 1-1. In the second overtime, the Hawks nearly won the game at the first, but Bufton made some great saves, and the Hawks had some near misses. Then the momentum seemed to change in favor of the Dons as they began to wear down the Hawks' pursuit. In the end, Katelyn Elliott from her stopper position, made a hard curving shot that went over the goalie's head, and curved into the net for the winning goal. The Lady Dons went crazy as they swarmed their teammates and celebrated another team victory. Coach Gillie was quick to give credit to his girls. "They are better, because there are a lot of returning starters in the senior and junior classes this year," he said. They have also had another year to get to know his coaching style, strategies and winning philosophies. Things are looking up for soccer at Spanish Fork High School. |