Girls Soccer: Dover shuts out Steubenville
The Dover girls soccer team beat Steubenville 6-0 Saturday to improve the team’s record to 6-1-1. The Big Red dropped to 1-5-0.
Dover Coach James Kline
Going into this game there were a lot of emotions. A lot of the returners marked this game on their calendars because of how we performed last year. It was one of those games that we wished we could replay the entire season. I think the girls were focused and ready to prove who the Dover Tornadoes really are to all of Steubenville’s coaches, players, and fans. From the whistle, both teams were applying pressure on one another. Then about five minutes into the game we seemed to settle in and begin to control the game. We were able to possess the ball, switch the field, and create opportunities, but just couldn’t finish one.
Twenty minutes into the game Ansley Bollon put us on the scoreboard by finishing a cross from Abby Jones. Then, about 10 minutes later Kenzie Wright ripped a nice shot from about 40 yards out off a pass from Abby Jones that the goalkeeper couldn’t save. Then, just before the half, Emilyn Feller found the back of the net for our third goal off another great pass from Abby Jones.
During the half, the message was clear, we needed to continue to play the way we did in the first half and put the game away. We also needed to prevent Steubenville from getting any goals and secure the shutout. We executed both of those goals.
Three minutes into the second half, Ava Zobel approached a free kick and put it past the keeper for our fourth goal of the game.
After this goal, we started planning for the future due to another game on Monday and wanting to get some of our younger players varsity playing time. Everyone on the roster got to play quality minutes Saturday which is huge for our future success. Hopefully, those minutes will help their development and it’s great to see some of them get on the scoreboard.
With about 15 minutes left in the half, Abigail Lane had a beautiful shot from outside the eighteen that hit the back post and banked in for her first varsity goal. Then, five minutes later, Alina Cotlet got on the scoreboard by putting a nice shot on goal that beat the goalkeeper to her front post for her first varsity goal. That ended the scoring, but the girls played tough in the last 10 minutes to keep Steubenville from finding any goals themselves.
This win brought our season record to 6-1-1 with two tough matchups this week. Monday we travel north to take on the Perry Panthers (5:00 JV and 7:00 PM) and on Saturday we host Weir (V, 10:00 AM) and Green (JV, 12:00 PM).