Lady Cats Soccer Team Fighting Hard (10/14/18)

(By Coach Chris Schonbachler)

The Clarion Area girls soccer team have continued to put forth a tremendous effort through some very difficult circumstances in the 2018 season.  A limited roster number, coupled with several injuries have meant the team has played down at least one and in some games two players over the past couple weeks.  That being said, the team showed some great efforts in holding a very talented Ridgway team scoreless in the first half and losing a close game at Redbank, while losing defensive backs Jenna Miller and Nellie Hannold in the process.

This past week, the team played a strong game against visiting Forest Area.  The 9 player Lady Cats squad found themselves down 1-0 early, the result of a terrific free kick by Forest Area’s Shawna Pack.  The girls battled back with goals from Lindsey Kemmer and Wendy Beveridge.  A bad bounce leading to a Clarion goal and 2 scores from Forest’s Mackenzie Bauer gave the Lady Fires a 4-2 lead late into the game.  With 5 minutes left, Wendy Beveridge went down with a knee bruise leaving the Lady Cats with 8 players on the field.  Showing no sign of letting up, the Lady Cats kept battling, down 3 players.  With 10 seconds left in the game, Lauren Troutman struck a perfectly placed free kick from 25 yards out into the top right corner of the Lady Fire net.  The final score shows a Forest Area 4-3 win, but the level of effort and determination showed by the Lady Cats allowed them walk off the field that night with their heads held high.

On Tuesday evening, the girls traveled to Keystone.  In an excellent display of sportsmanship, Keystone coach Brittney Caulfield chose to play the game an even 10 vs 10.  The game started at a slower than usual pace, with both teams trading scoring chances.  Lindsey Kemmer opened the scoring for Clarion with a sharp angle shot that got past the Keystone goalkeeper.  As the game moved into the second half, the Lady Cats improved their pace and passing accuracy.  Ava Cherico scored goals, her first 2 goals of the season, Megan Stahlman scored her first goal of the season, while Wendy Beveridge and Joyce Kim chipped in with a goal apiece.  The final score was Clarion 6, Keystone 0.  Clarion finishes their season next week with a Monday road game vs Ridgway, a home game (Senior Night) on Tuesday vs Kane, and a trip to Punxy on Thursday evening.

(Thanks to Coach Schonbachler for this article. Keep up the hard work, Lady Cats!!!!)