LADY FISHERMEN OFF TO HISTORIC START
You can count the number of girls soccer playoff games Astoria has played on one hand. Actually, on one finger.
Extend one more digit and you will have the highest number of league victories Astoria has had in any season, with the exception of that 2001 playoff team, which won a grand total of three.
So, while a 2-0 start to league play may not sound like much to those outside Clatsop County, it is certainly cause to celebrate in Astoria. Especially when the second win is against rival Seaside.
The Lady Fishermen defeated the Seagulls 1-0 Wednesday night between chilly showers at the Warrenton Soccer Complex to accomplish something they have never done in the history of the program, start a winning streak in league play.
With their third win of the season, Astoria is just one win away from matching the 2005 team's four victories. But, these are far from the goals this team has in mind this year.
"It's hard to say, but it looks like it's as competitive a District 1 as we've had in years," said head coach Jim Flint, "considering Catlin Gabel and O.E.S. are not the teams they've been in past years. Having said that, each game is tough."
After an evenly played first half, the Lady Fishermen dominated most of the second half, outshooting Seaside 7-1 over the final 40 minutes with the Gulls only shot coming from distance late in the match. The Fishermen had an overwhelming edge in corner kicks with a 9-0 advantage, yet they were unable to extend a 1-0 halftime lead as the Seagulls threatened with a potential counterattack until the final whistle.
If not for a couple of strong saves by Seaside goalkeeper Becca Lent, Astoria might have been able to rest a little easier. Lent went up high into the left corner of goal to tip away a strong 30-yard free kick off the foot of Brooke Schauermann in the 15th minute.
"Nine out of ten keepers I think would have missed that," said Seaside head coach Dave Rouse. "I'm not sure 'Bugs' [sic] could have gotten that one. But, she got it.
"Astoria's a good set play team, I expected that. I figured that to start with, then you look at their Gladstone game I knew they got free kicks and they are going to be tough. They've got big, tall girls and they're strong in the box and that's not one of our strong points."
It would be another set play a minute later that netted Astoria's only goal of the match, as their tallest girl, 6-1 senior defender Kristina Wilson, served a perfect bender into the goal box. Junior midfielder Sarah Pope got a leg up in a crowd to poke the ball into the back of the net.
"It's good to keep the momentum going," said Wilson. "You think you have a goal and the keeper makes a really nice save. But, you get the corner off it. We've struggled a lot with getting our feet and heads on corners in the past, so it's nice to finally finish one up."
Meanwhile, Astoria's athletic defensive backline all but nullified Seaside's speed up front. Still without leading goal-scorer Stephanie Hanthorn, the Gulls looked for counterattack opportunities throughout the contest with speedy forwards Marla Olstedt, Linda Villasenor and April Cockroft, but every breakaway opportunity was tracked down and thwarted by Astoria's speedy fullbacks.
Lynnae Huber had perhaps the defensive play of the night with a strong shoulder charge to knock the dangerous Olstedt off the ball on a run into Astoria's defensive third early in the first half.
"Me and Marla had a few clashes," said Huber, a returning all-Cowapa defender. "It felt nice, but Marla played really well."
Astoria's best second half threat came midway through off a Jordan Cronover corner kick, but Wilson's shot to the near post was flicked away on another nice save by Lent, who finished with five. Astoria got most of its shots during a 5-10 minute stretch later in the half.
The junior goalminder Lent once again displayed her physical strength, enduring her second full speed collision in as many games. In the 61st minute, Lent just beat Astoria forward Charlene Harber to a ball at the edge of the 18-yard box as the strong, 5-11 sprinter slammed into the sliding keeper full force. After a minute or two to walk it off, Lent returned to the goal to finish the game. Last week, the Gull keeper collided with Yamhill-Carlton's high-scoring forward Tera Prosser, knocking her out with a knee injury.
Prosser's status is unknown entering today's matchup with Astoria.
"It's going to be a tough game [today], said Flint. "We've got to come out and play [today]. They tied Seaside 1-1, so we expect this to be hard. We'll see what happens."
Astoria outshot Seaside 11-5 in a game in which very few fouls were called. The rain held off until minutes after the final whistle, however, a lightning flash and distant thunderclap had game administrators consulting with officials in the final ten minutes about a potential stoppage, before play resumed and the teams completed the contest.
Extend one more digit and you will have the highest number of league victories Astoria has had in any season, with the exception of that 2001 playoff team, which won a grand total of three.
So, while a 2-0 start to league play may not sound like much to those outside Clatsop County, it is certainly cause to celebrate in Astoria. Especially when the second win is against rival Seaside.
The Lady Fishermen defeated the Seagulls 1-0 Wednesday night between chilly showers at the Warrenton Soccer Complex to accomplish something they have never done in the history of the program, start a winning streak in league play.
With their third win of the season, Astoria is just one win away from matching the 2005 team's four victories. But, these are far from the goals this team has in mind this year.
"It's hard to say, but it looks like it's as competitive a District 1 as we've had in years," said head coach Jim Flint, "considering Catlin Gabel and O.E.S. are not the teams they've been in past years. Having said that, each game is tough."
After an evenly played first half, the Lady Fishermen dominated most of the second half, outshooting Seaside 7-1 over the final 40 minutes with the Gulls only shot coming from distance late in the match. The Fishermen had an overwhelming edge in corner kicks with a 9-0 advantage, yet they were unable to extend a 1-0 halftime lead as the Seagulls threatened with a potential counterattack until the final whistle.
If not for a couple of strong saves by Seaside goalkeeper Becca Lent, Astoria might have been able to rest a little easier. Lent went up high into the left corner of goal to tip away a strong 30-yard free kick off the foot of Brooke Schauermann in the 15th minute.
"Nine out of ten keepers I think would have missed that," said Seaside head coach Dave Rouse. "I'm not sure 'Bugs' [sic] could have gotten that one. But, she got it.
"Astoria's a good set play team, I expected that. I figured that to start with, then you look at their Gladstone game I knew they got free kicks and they are going to be tough. They've got big, tall girls and they're strong in the box and that's not one of our strong points."
It would be another set play a minute later that netted Astoria's only goal of the match, as their tallest girl, 6-1 senior defender Kristina Wilson, served a perfect bender into the goal box. Junior midfielder Sarah Pope got a leg up in a crowd to poke the ball into the back of the net.
"It's good to keep the momentum going," said Wilson. "You think you have a goal and the keeper makes a really nice save. But, you get the corner off it. We've struggled a lot with getting our feet and heads on corners in the past, so it's nice to finally finish one up."
Meanwhile, Astoria's athletic defensive backline all but nullified Seaside's speed up front. Still without leading goal-scorer Stephanie Hanthorn, the Gulls looked for counterattack opportunities throughout the contest with speedy forwards Marla Olstedt, Linda Villasenor and April Cockroft, but every breakaway opportunity was tracked down and thwarted by Astoria's speedy fullbacks.
Lynnae Huber had perhaps the defensive play of the night with a strong shoulder charge to knock the dangerous Olstedt off the ball on a run into Astoria's defensive third early in the first half.
"Me and Marla had a few clashes," said Huber, a returning all-Cowapa defender. "It felt nice, but Marla played really well."
Astoria's best second half threat came midway through off a Jordan Cronover corner kick, but Wilson's shot to the near post was flicked away on another nice save by Lent, who finished with five. Astoria got most of its shots during a 5-10 minute stretch later in the half.
The junior goalminder Lent once again displayed her physical strength, enduring her second full speed collision in as many games. In the 61st minute, Lent just beat Astoria forward Charlene Harber to a ball at the edge of the 18-yard box as the strong, 5-11 sprinter slammed into the sliding keeper full force. After a minute or two to walk it off, Lent returned to the goal to finish the game. Last week, the Gull keeper collided with Yamhill-Carlton's high-scoring forward Tera Prosser, knocking her out with a knee injury.
Prosser's status is unknown entering today's matchup with Astoria.
"It's going to be a tough game [today], said Flint. "We've got to come out and play [today]. They tied Seaside 1-1, so we expect this to be hard. We'll see what happens."
Astoria outshot Seaside 11-5 in a game in which very few fouls were called. The rain held off until minutes after the final whistle, however, a lightning flash and distant thunderclap had game administrators consulting with officials in the final ten minutes about a potential stoppage, before play resumed and the teams completed the contest.
posted by Matt Richert at 9:54 PM
2 Comments:
Just curious...you mentioned the Seaside keeper several times, but the other keeper, with a clean sheet, was never mentioned. Who was it? Please?
Bug Coggins, also a fine keeper, but not much of a factor in this particular match. Three saves, no serious challenges. Astoria's defense erased potential attacks giving her an easy night.
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