Cultivating Christian Minds and Character
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Fall 2008 Season
Wildcats fall to Duchesne - Season Ends
The Lady Wildcats stood tall, did Westminster proud, and earned their team some new respect when they gave Duchesne all they could handle in the 2-0 loss to the Pioneers in the Missouri state quarterfinal match.
The match was played before a large crowd of Westminster and Duchesne students, family, & faculty at Soccer Park. It was no secret that Duchesne came into the match a heavy favorite over the #3 ranked Wildcats. As the game got underway, it appeared as though the favored status would stand. The Pioneers put immediate pressure on the Wildcats and forced the ladies into numerous turnovers. Duchesne capitalized on the turnovers at 3:11 when the potent Ali Reimer picked up a defensive turnover and sent a short pass wide right for Rachel Baronovic whose chip shot from 20 yds high into the left corner put the Pioneers up 1-0. Surprisingly, the goal seemed to settle the Wildcats down as they went to work to recover from the early mistake. The Wildcats forced their way into the attacking end and kept the ball contained by winning many of their 50-50s. Kenzie Pfitzinger came close to putting Westminster on the board at 10:57 when she carried through 3 defenders and let a shot go that caressed the crossbar before going out of touch. Westminster had the Pioneers on their heels for most of the half. Failing to be intimidated by the larger, more aggressive Pioneers, the Wildcats showed their claws by handing out a few welcome bumps of their own. Senior Ellie Moore displayed the Wildcat attitude when she climbed up the back of a significantly larger Duchesne midfielder to win a headwall. Liz Crowell gave Erika Sams all she could handle by using her body to force Erika off the ball. At 23:00, Lauren Probst had half the crowd ready to cheer when she found herself in front of the net and the ball at her feet. Lauren was forced to rush her shot which went over the bar as Lauren put her hands to her head in disgust. With only a few minutes remaining in the half it appeared that Westminster accomplished their goal of keeping the game close. And then at 37:22, the Pioneers’ leading scorer, Ali Reimer innocently carried across the midfield, cut in from the left and lofted a shot from 25+ yds that keeper Whitney Calvin got part of a hand on before it slipped under the crossbar for a 2-0 lead.
The 2nd half began for Westminster much like the 1st half did for Duchesne. At 1:15, Kenzie put Lauren in on a breakaway with only the goalie to beat. Duchesne keeper Tori Champagne came out strong. Tori, Lauren, & the ball all met at the same point and Tori successfully covered up the loose ball. After that missed opportunity, the field started to tilt back in favor of the Pioneers. The Wildcat defense, still missing injured Tori Vanderheide, held firm under the constant pressure of the potent Pioneer offense. Juniors Leah Beck and Christine Ehrmann kept the dynamic duo of Ali Reimer and Emma Walker at bay by forcing them off the ball and keeping them from getting too close to the net. Freshman Haley Bettlach exhibited her steady, season long progress as she patrolled the middle of the defensive end and did her best to keep the bad people away. The ever heady Katie Haverstick threw herself into everything that came her way. Keeper Whitney Calvin was solid as usual and displayed her resolve with a high flying jump save off a Pioneer corner kick at 17:40. With the clock running in their favor, the Pioneers grew more confident on each possession. The Wildcats’ turnover struggles haunted them further as they were unable to generate any significant offensive pressure. As the clock ticked down to 0:00, the Lady Wildcats saw their successful season come to an end. Coach Smith voiced his praise for the excellent effort of the team. His pride and respect for the women of Westminster was evident as he began to look forward to next season.
The game brings to an end the high school careers of Ellie Moore, Tess Fitzpatrick, Tori Vanderheide, Liz Crowell, Danielle Zee-Cheng, and Jennifer Babb. Each of these women will be missed for their contributions on and off the field. We are privileged to know each of them and wish them well in all that their future holds.
Congratulations to Coach Smith and Coach Legters on another excellent season. Their 2nd consecutive appearance in the state quarterfinals is a testament to the program and brings the Westminster women the respect they have earned and deserve. We all look forward to next season!
Game Stats:
Shots: Ehrmann, Haverstick, Pfitzinger (2), Probst, Zee-Cheng Saves: Calvin (5)