Fallsnewspress.com - New-look Falls girls soccer rattles Bulldogs

by Michael Leonard

Sports Editor

Peninsula -- New Falls girls soccer coach Kendall Haidet wanted the Black Tigers to play an up-tempo, attack-oriented game this season.

Falls showed it had adapted Heidet's system well in its opener Aug. 23 -- and took out Haidet's alma mater in the process.

Returning to Lahosky Field where she once played for Woodridge, Haidet saw her charges run out to an early 3-2 lead and coast to a 4-2 victory over the Bulldogs.

Falls 4-3-3 attacking system had the Bulldogs on their heels from the start, much to Haidet's delight.

"They've bought into what we've been asking them to do," Haidet said. "It's pretty exciting to watch."

Woodridge coach Jason Allenspach said his young squad was suffering a serious case of first-game jitters, especially in the first half.

"It's always the first 10 minutes that we have to get through," Allenspach said. "We give up a goal in the first five minutes and it's tough to come back from."

In fact, Falls midfielder Anna Zeller opened the scoring in the fourth minute when she rounded a pair of Bulldog defenders and lofted a high shot just beyond the reach of goaltender Liz McIe.

Falls doubled its advantage in the 15th minute with another high shot.

This time, senior forward Marrisa Mathieu did the honors as she struck a high ball from just outside the box. McIe got a hand to the ball, but couldn't keep it out.

McIe was replaced by Abbey Lavely in goal for Woodridge in the 20th minute and did a solid job.

However, Lavely faced a goaltender's nightmare in the 29th minute when a Woodridge defender was called for handling the ball in the box.

Mathieu stepped up to take the penalty kick and gave Lavely no chance, rifling a shot into the upper right corner of the net. Falls took a 3-0 lead into halftime.

"She stepped up tonight and that's what we needed her to do," Haidet said. "We need her leadership."

"If that handball isn't called, we're right back in the game," Allenspach said. "We responded well after the early goals."

Falls outshot Woodridge 9-2 in the first half, but the Bulldogs reversed that trend in the second half. Senior Brittany Charles switched from winger to forward and started to find some room against a pushed up Falls defense.

Charles came close a couple of times to getting on the board before breaking through in the 61st minute.

Charles ran onto a nice through ball from Courtney Luebbering and was able to blast a shot past Falls goaltender Tracy Stockich to make it 3-1.

However, Falls' answer to the goal came just two minutes later. After the ball ricocheted out of the Woodridge penalty area, freshman Emily Gall latched onto the ball and sent a perfectly placed shot on net from 30 yards out.

Gall's first high school goal gave Lavely no chance and restored Falls' three-goal lead.

From that point on, Falls began substituting its bench players into the game.

"We moved a couple people around to see what we had," Haidet said. "I'm not too worried about it."

Woodridge was able to pull one goal back in the 68th minute when junior Devin Burns caught Falls defense napping.

Off of a free kick from Lauren Brady, Burns was able to beat her defender and launch a low shot which went off the post and in.

Charles nearly made things very interesting in the final 10 minutes of the game, but a brilliant point-black save from Stokich preserved the two-goal lead for Falls.

Woodridge was set to host Waynedale Aug. 26 but results weren't available at press time. Woodridge faces a Battle of the Bulldogs Aug. 30 when it travels to Stow-Munroe Falls, followed by its Portage Trail Conference opener Aug. 31 at home vs. James A. Garfield. Game time both nights is 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, Falls was set to host Archbishop Hoban Aug. 28, but results were not available at press time.

Falls will begin a five-game road trip Aug. 30 when it travels to Copley. Game time is set for 7 p.m.

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