Clarion River Valley Strikers Girls U12 Team Ties Undefeated Meadville (05/18/15)

(By Matt Lerch)
The Clarion River Valley Strikers Girls U12 team put on another show Sunday May 17th for their last home game. Undeterred by missing midfielder Parker Boyden and defender Riley Burford due to injuries, the spunky team dug deep to almost defeat the top team in the league at the Clarion County Park.

(Photo by Matt Lerch) Girls U12 Clarion RIver Valley Strikers Spring 2015

(Photo by Matt Lerch) Girls U12 Clarion RIver Valley Strikers Spring 2015

Once again, the Strikers Family clung together and called in the U10 reinforcements to fill the void of the two missing players. After playing in their game in Warren, Taylor Alston, Gia Babington and Sophie Babington drove back south to help defend home turf with their older brethren, the U12 Girls.

The game opened up with Clarion on the attack. Forwards Joyce Kim, Olivia Bish and Cami Womeldorf advanced the ball through Meadville defenders and were stopped at the last second. Midfielders Gia Babington, Taylor Alston and Korrin Burns were able to keep Meadville out of Clarion territory for much of the first half. The Clarion offense took 3 shots on the towering Meadville goalie.

Also during the first half the Clarion defense was wound tight. Fearless center defender Jenna Miller stopped some very talented Meadville forwards as they attempted to take shots on goalie Evelyn Lerch. Right side defender Ali Clark performed a superior game as well, keeping Meadville’s speedy sweeper from entering the zone. Lerch stopped 5 shots on goal in the first half. At the halftime whistle, the score was still 0-0.

As this was a defensive game from the get go, some heroic efforts would be required to cut through the defense and score. Time and time again left forward Olivia Bish was able to enter enemy territory using her speed to buttonhook with the ball and dribble all the way down to Meadville’s corner and cross to an awaiting Womeldorf. As valiant as the effort was it hadn’t produced a point. Midi Korrin Burns joined in the effort and split Meadville’s midfielders using sheer athleticism to try to penetrate. This also came without a point. Meanwhile Meadville wasn’t done trying to chalk up the first points. Lerch had to save 6 shots in the second half, one of which was through traffic toward the front of the goal box, center crease, just before Meadville’s forward struck the ball.

For her fourth try to make the magic appear Womeldorf, whom scored a hat-trick last week, beat 4 defenders and shot on goal for the game’s first score. With only 6 minutes left coach Perry Boyden deployed a defensive strategy to preserve the win. In the last two minutes of play Meadville was able to pinball the soccer ball in a clustered Clarion box to slip a tie goal past Lerch. The end result was a 1-1 tie but the Clarion girls just put on a show showing their maturation. Meadville was undefeated and still is, but they didn’t win against this scrappy all or nothing team.

The U12 Girls next game is at Shenango Valley, their second to last contest on May 31st.