Cultivating Christian Minds and Character
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Fall 2008 Season
Beck Scores Four to Leah Westminster!
Leah Beck scored 4 goals to lead all scorers in Westminster’s 5-1 win over the McCluer North Stars in the first round of the annual Holly Goodman tournament held at host Ritenour.
In conditions that felt more like February than late April, the Wildcats took the field looking to extend their current 6 game winning streak. Playing uphill into a firm wind, the Wildcats were in control throughout the half. Utilizing short passes to the midfield, the Wildcats then tried to drop the ball over the pressing defenders in the hopes of breaking an attacker free. The tactic was not as successful as expected as the Stars defenders were quick enough to recover and force bad shots. Liz Crowell continued her fine play as a wing mid as she utilized her speed and skill to force constant attention from the defense. She had the first decent opportunity of the half when she broke in on the right side and hit a shot that glanced off the crossbar at 5:20. With many of their shots missing the frame, the Wildcats continued to throw the ball towards the net hoping that one of them would eventually go in. Leah Beck got things going when she took a Christine Ehrmann throw-in and 2 touched a shot under the crossbar to give Westminster a 1-0 lead at 27:13. The McCluer attack in the 1st half consisted of long crossing passes in the hopes that the downhill advantage would allow a Stars attacker to break free. Defenders Tori Vanderheide and Haley Bettlach kept busy by intercepting the Stars passes and distributing the ball wide to set up the counter attack. On one of their few opportunities, a McCluer defender carried the ball from midfield and weaved through an unaware Westminster team to the left side where her shot from 5 yds slipped under keeper Calvin and into the net to tie the score 1-1 at 39:40. It took less than 20 seconds for Westminster to recover. On the ensuing tip, Westminster caught the Stars napping as Leah took a Liz Crowell pass and fought off a single defender to put a shot underneath the surprised keeper and a 2-1 Wildcat lead at 39:59.
The 2nd half began with immediate Westminster pressure as they quickly took advantage of the downhill lie and the wind at their backs. At 2:45, Leah picked up her 3rd goal of the day when her diligent pursuit of the ball forced a defensive turnover that ended up with Leah’s hard shot into the left corner and a 3-1 lead. Sensing that the flood gates were about to open, the Wildcats continued to press. Utilizing the same style of attack from the 1st half, Westminster looked to break someone free as they dropped passes over the defense. The tactic paid off at 9:31 when Christine landed a pass in front of the charging Lauren Probst who broke in on the right side and buried her shot into the left corner from 5 yds to give Westminster an overwhelming 4-1 lead. At 15:58, Leah added her 4th and final goal of the day when she once again pressured the defense into making a mistake that allowed her to take the ball off the keeper’s foot and punch it in for an easy goal and a 5-1 Wildcat lead. Watson Woodward, Anneleyce Alexander, and Emily Sherman combined passes that came close more than once to adding to the lead as they continued the Westminster attack. Keeper Whitney Calvin had the last excitement of the match as she came out to make a sliding save at the edge of the box at 37:24.
The Wildcats move into the winners side of the tournament bracket and face off against Orchard Farm in the 2nd round of the tournament on Wednesday at 4pm. Hopefully, the weather will be nicer and the stands full of Wildcat supporters.
Game Stats:
Goals: Beck (4), Probst Assists: Crowell, Ehrmann (2) Shots: Beck (4), Crowell (3), Moore, Pfitzinger, Probst, Sherman, Vanderheide Game Winning Goal: Beck Saves: Calvin (2)