Tiger Cubs take down Vikings

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

The Greencastle girls' soccer team heated up as they take their first win of the season. With temperatures rising around 90 degrees, the GHS girls took to the Dee S. Monnett Soccer Field and defeated the West Vigo Vikings 5-2.

The Vikings came ready to play as they caught the GHS defense off guard with the first score of the game coming only 10 minutes into the first half.

As GHS pushed to keep the ball on West Vigo's side of the field the Vikings continued to push back. Greencastle forward, Melody White led the charge for Greencastle with the first of her four goals coming with 12 minutes to go in the first half.

For White's next goal she was able to dribble in and score after a one on one situation with the Vikings' goalie.

The Cubs continued to play hard winning the ball out of the air and beating West Vigo to the ball.

Becca Sampson, playing soccer this year for the first time, got to feel the adrenaline of her first goal as she scored with five minutes to go in first half.

Unfortunately for the Cubs the Vikings weren't giving up as they pulled GHS goalie Sydney Secrest and her defense out of position and added another goal. GHS was able to go into half-time with a 3-2 lead.

"We've worked a lot on the basics over the last few weeks and are trying to better develop our girls' soccer skills," GHS head coach Maurice McKee said. "It was nice seeing some of that come together in the first half."

As the whistle blew signaling the second half, GHS seemed a little on their heels. West Vigo began winning the ball out of the air and getting to the ball just a few seconds quicker. But White stepped up again to find the net off of a text book cross from Mary Parker.

Greencastle began crashing the goal hard through the second half. White, a goalie herself, took the Vikings goalie one on one placing the ball in the goal.

"Overall we played a pretty good game tonight," McKee commented. "I think we are headed in the right direction but we've got some work to do in the next few weeks to get ready for sectionals."

Secrest and her defense continued to get a workout themselves as the Vikings countered hard on their shots. But the Tiger Cubs' defense stood strong, even through multiple substitutions, and didn't allow West Vigo to score. As the temperatures fell so did the West Vigo Vikings as the clock ran down and Greencastle won 5-2.

"What you saw tonight was a big confidence boost for our team. These girls have overcome a bit of adversity this year and are working hard to find their rhythm together as a team," McKee said.

Greencastle will be back in action against Sullivan on Saturday, Sept. 16th. Game set to begin at noon.