Control the ball, control the game
Lady Panther soccer team fails to maintain possession, loses 3-0 to St. Pius X
Freshman Lady Panther Sophia Bernardi attempts to keep junior Golden Lion Laney Polvino away from the ball. In the last regular season home game, Starr’s Mill faced St. Pius X. The Mill was defeated 3-0 after struggling to keep control of the ball.
April 17, 2019
In the last regular season home game, Starr’s Mill fell to St. Pius X in a 3-0 shutout loss. The Golden Lions controlled the game as the Panthers were unable to keep a handle on the ball.
The Mill was unable to score, but junior Chloe Spradlin was the loudest on the field. For St. Pius, sophomore Renee Lyles led the offense, scoring two goals. The third goal of the night came from junior Lauren Bynum.
“We went in knowing they were a really good team,” sophomore Sofia Varmeziar said. “We were kind of mentally prepared for that. They kind of took control.”
The game started off with the Lions taking over the ball and the Panthers unable to catch up. This pace continued throughout the game, with St. Pius X keeping the ball on their side of the field for the majority of the game.
The first goal of the night was scored by Lyles in the 13th minute from within the box. The ball hit the post and was sent back into the goal straight past senior keeper Abby Weaver. The tempo seemed to pick up after that, with the Mill attempting to get ahold of the ball.
Senior Lion Ava Schwarze dribbles the ball while being chased by sophomore Panther Sara Evans. Despite defending well, the Mill was unable to maintain possession of the ball. The Lady Panthers play next at 5:30 p.m. on April 17 against Northgate.
“It sucks that a result can say a lot more than a performance,” Spradlin said. “We’ve been in a slump recently, and I think that game kind of lifted us up out of that slump. We got better as the game went on, we were just tired.”
The second half of the game started the same as the first, with the Golden Lions dominating possession. In the 48th minute, Bynum scored the second goal of the night from within the box. Starr’s Mill tried to push back, and they were able to have the ball on their side of the field for a few minutes.
In the 57th minute, Lyles scored her second goal of the night. She ran into the box, and Weaver ran out of the goal, attempting to stop the run. Lyles ran around, and shot the ball directly into the open goal.
“We are getting better with figuring out how to work the ball,” head coach John Bowen said. “What’s important and what’s not. They punished us every time we made a silly mistake.”
After this game, the Lady Panthers have a record of 10-6 overall. Starr’s Mill will enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed from Region 3-AAAAA . The girls play next at 5:30 p.m. on April 17 at Northgate.
