Mead Zeros In On Soccer Title
The lone Greater Spokane League girls soccer team to have scored off Mead this year couldn’t repeat the trick on Friday.
Goalkeeper Holly Vanwert registered Mead’s ninth shutout, a 1-0 decision before 150 fans at Ferris that stopped the Saxons’ bid for first.
GSL scoring leader Stacy Clinesmith pounced on a loose ball just 1 minute into the second half and found the upper left corner for her 12th goal of the season.
The Panthers took a big step toward their 10th consecutive GSL title. Mead has won each of its 10 matches in regulation, including a 2-1 victory over Ferris on Sept. 11, and has earned 30 points. Ferris has seven regulation wins, two overtime wins, no overtime losses and two regulation losses for 25 points.
The first half, under sunny skies, was competitive. Clinesmith had a couple of scoring chances, and Ferris nearly scored when freshman Kim Rohwer’s free kick hit the left post and bounced back to Vanwert.
Clouds and Mead dominated the second half. Mead ruled from the moment Clinesmith surprised a Ferris sweeper by streaking in for a loose ball until almost the final whistle.
“One mistake cost us the game,” said Ferris coach John Gould. “… My sweeper had to do what she thought was right because she looked up and didn’t see anybody.”
“Yeah, they probably should have cleared (the ball),” said Mead coach Dick Cullen. “But I give them credit for not … because I think when you have plays in the back, and work on and develop them, you’re much stronger.”
Mead had at least eight good scoring chances after intermission, including three by Jen Dunford. With time running out, Jaclyn Burton hit the crossbar after a Clinesmith pass.
“A lot of the effort was spent on ball control and possession,” Cullen said.
”(Cullen) played a higher pressure defense than he did (during the first match),” Gould said. “No team has given us high pressure in the past. The girls will learn from it.”
In other matches, third-place Gonzaga Prep (8-0-0-2, 24) beat visiting North Central 4-0 and held an opposition to no shots on goal for the third time this year. Kami McGowan had 14 saves for the Indians (1-2-0-8, 7).
At Hart Field, fourth-place Lewis and Clark (6-1-0-4, 20) intercepted two back-passes to score on the way to a 7-0 win over Rogers (0-0-1-10, 1). Jill Elwell scored twice, and Keri Nichols had one goal and two assists.
GSL volleyball
Courtney Clary had eight of her 26 kills and six of her 23 digs in the fourth game as Shadle Park (3-8) came back for a 13-15, 7-15, 15-10, 15-13, 15-11 home win over Central Valley (1-9).
The Bears led the third game 7-2 before Shadle scored eight straight points. CV also led the fourth game 13-12, but couldn’t put away the Highlanders. Carrie Sanders had 22 digs and five aces for CV.
, DataTimes