Tiger Cubs shut out Edgewood in tie

Greencastle freshman Lauren Harris (4) fends off an aggressive approach from Edgewood freshman Celine Hornick during Thursday's game. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

The Greencastle girls' soccer team dominated the flow of play against Edgewood on Thursday but the deep-seated defense and goalkeeping of the Mustangs held up as the two teams finished in a tie, 0-0.

Edgewood had four defenders at or near the 18-yard barrier throughout the match, playing back to prevent the GHS offense from getting any running start into their zone. The Tiger Cubs scored three goals against the Mustangs in a 20-minute scrimmage earlier this year, which GHS coach Jamie Grivas said might have given her team a false-sense of security.

"My guess is (Edgewood) thought we were going to be a bit stronger than we were," Grivas said.

Edgewood's goalkeeper, sophomore Emily Jones, had more than 20 saves but the majority came from outside the 18-yard box. With the Mustang defenders playing back, Greencastle forced a lot of shots from outside that didn't have much pace.

The Tiger Cubs were also slow getting into position for rebounds and loose balls, Grivas said.

"We tied a team that we could have beaten because we didn't step to the ball," she said. "I've told them all season: you have to have the ball in order to score goals. You've got to want it."

Greencastle's offense dominated possession but Edgewood still challenged sophomore goalkeeper Amelia Smith, who finished with eight saves.

The Tiger Cubs played stifling defense when the Mustangs gained possession, rarely allowing the visitors to cross midfield. That unit was led by senior Rosio Gomez.

"Rosio held our defense together," Grivas said. "Rosio played with a lot of heart."

GHS kept the pressure on throughout, increasing it for a stretch in the second half when junior Sydney Secrest played with abandon in front of the Mustangs' net. Secrest stole a few possessions and forced a pair of corner kicks during one three-minute stretch, and had near-assists on several other plays.

While Grivas was disappointed with her team's lack of offense, she said she is confident the team has the talent to make big improvements in the next couple weeks in time for the postseason.

Greencastle's final home game--senior night--is Saturday morning when it hosts Brown County at 11 a.m.

Sydney Secrest aggressively approaches the Edgewood net. (Banner Graphic/GRANT WIEMAN)

At Greencastle
Edgewood...........0 0 -- 0
Greencastle.........0 0 -- 0