Tiger Cubs hold off late Cadet charge

Friday, October 3, 2008

It was the kind of play a senior should make in her final home game.

With 5:55 remaining Thursday and Greencastle leading 2-1, Greencastle goal keeper Jennifer Grumme was facing a penalty kick from Cascade's Tory Miller.

Greencastle senior Hannah Spencer (10) attempts to head in a corner kick as Cascade keeper Michele Morris tries to deflect the shot. Although Spencer shot sailed high, the Tiger Cubs won 2-1.

Miller kicked it to Grumme's right, but the keeper stretched out and knocked the ball away.

"Jennifer got that save on that PK, which I know had to make her as happy as could be. She stretched out and got it," GHS coach Maurice McKee said.

In the remainder of the game, the Cubs (8-4-1, 2-1 WCC) endured two indirect kicks and a corner kick before finally being able to celebrate their 2-1 victory over the Cadets.

"I told them it's the best game they played so far this year, and it is," McKee said. "Everybody hustled to the ball, every ball, and nobody quit. I was tickled to death with the way the girls' played tonight."

It was a hard-fought, physical game for 80 minutes. While the Tiger Cubs were in control of the ball much of the night, the Cadet defense kept them off the board most of the evening.

When the defensemen weren't taking away good shots and forcing them wide or high, Cadet keeper Michele Morris was stopping most things that came her way.

When Greencastle finally broke through, it came as a surprise to most everyone. Defenseman Hannah Deer kicked a ball from near the midfield circle that caught Morris off guard. The keeper had come out from the goal and by the time she reacted to the Deer shot, it was too late. Deer found the right side of the net, and the Cubs led 1-0 with 25:31 in the half.

The Cadets had an answer, though, as Miller brought the ball up the left side, dribbled around the drawn-out Grumme and scored on the open net with 20:21 left in the half.

"They knew it was going to be a tough game going in," McKee said. "Cascade's had a good season this year with a new coach pushing them pretty hard. They're doing pretty well."

With 10:41 remaining in the half, Greencastle regained its advantage. Whitney Brotherton sent a corner kick in to Melissa Ball, who passed back to Hannah Serlin. The senior sent the ball over Morris' head and off crossbar for a 2-1 lead.

The score remained the same at the half.

The second half saw no scoring, but Greencastle controlled the ball much of the half. However, their attacks all came up short. Brotherton and Hannah Spencer had a number of shots, but all went wide or high or were stopped cold by Morris.

In the last 10 minutes, Cascade really went on the attack. The results were a number of corner kicks, a direct kick and a pair of indirect kicks.

What it didn't result in were any goals. When the time reached zeros, Greencastle had preserved its 2-1 victory.

The victory also kept GHS alive in the WCC race. Although Speedway is undefeated in conference, they still have to play Cascade. A Cadet victory in that game and a GHS win at Monrovia would make a three-way tie at the top of the conference.

"I did give them some pointers on Speedway because that will make a three-way tie for first in conference. I'll go for that anytime," McKee said.

The win was a nice send-off for Grumme, Spencer, Serlin and Becky Grivas.

Greencastle's Becky Grivas (9) defends the ball from Cascade's Maranda Doll.

Grivas had a unique night, as McKee actually started her in goal before bringing in Grumme and putting Grivas back at her usual defenseman position.

"We had some different goalies in tonight, and they did a nice job," McKee said.

The coach credited his four seniors with setting the tone for the successful season they've had so far.

"The seniors have been really good. They stood up and took charge, Becky Grivas and Hannah Spencer especially," McKee said. "Becky Grivas worked the girls through summer and got a program going. She's pushed them there, and all the rest of the seniors have 100-percent for it.

"They go out and run on Saturdays by themselves, and if they don't make the runs on Saturdays, I've set it up for them to come in and run on Mondays," he added. 'They've done that the entire season. They've had one day off, besides Sundays, since the day we started practice. They've been really good hustlers."

The work seems to be culminating in the team playing as well as it has all year.

"This is the time of year you want to start peaking. I'm hoping this is just an edge of what we will see. I hope we have a couple more games like this to get through sectionals," McKee said.

But before getting to sectional, the coach wants his team to take care of business on the road next week against Edgewood and Monrovia.

"We'll have two away games this next week. We don't know for sure how they're supposed to be, but we should be able to beat both of these teams that we're going up against, and then go back at it again the next week for sectional," McKee concluded.

The Tiger Cubs visit the Mustangs at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

At Greencastle

Cascade 1 0 -- 1

Greencastle 2 0 -- 0

First Half

GHS -- Deer 25:31

Cas -- Miller 20:21

GHS -- Serlin (Ball ast.) 10:41

Next match -- Greencastle (9-4-1, 2-1 WCC) visits Edgewood at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

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