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Dobbs hat trick enough for Tiger Cubs to see off Warriors
If you saw it once, you saw it in triplicate.
It, Monday, being an Ali Dobbs goal against Danville.
The junior netted a hat trick against the Warriors with three almost identical strikes, goals that were needed after the visitors rallied midway through the second half but not enough to keep the Tiger Cubs from moving to 4-0 with a 3-2 win.
Dobbs struck for the first time just after five minutes of play had elapsed as a throw-in bounced over several players with the Greencastle forward first to react, stealing in behind the defense and slotting a low shot across Ava Walls in goal.
Play soon settled into the pattern that would define most of the match as Danville corralled possession into the Tiger Cub half of the field but struggled to make incisive passes to test the defense and Bella Monnett in goal.
The hosts answered with swift counters when they could string the passes together, but the Warriors were quick to see dangerous play and quicker to snuff it out.
Dobbs had a few additional looks as the half went on but the best chance for a second goal came from the visitors in the final minutes as Malina Ane had a powerful shot go over the bar.
Similar to the first half, Greencastle struck early as Dobbs was offered space down the left to run and took it, dribbling past several defenders before sliding a similar shot past Walls to double the hosts’ lead.
A third goal followed eight minutes later as a short clearance was taken down by Dobbs, who played a quick 1-2 with Evie Briones before once again beating Walls low and to her left to make it 3-0.
Danville looked stuck until getting a goal back from an Ane corner six minutes later.
The delivery was allowed to drop and after a brief scrum in the goalmouth, Shelby Harvey slammed the ball in off the bar to cut the deficit to 3-1.
After Mya French followed with a blast from 25 yards out that forced a strong save from Monnett, yet another corner from Ane got the visitors to within a goal.
Monnett was unable to claim the initial delivery and French popped the ball into the roof of the net to make it 3-2 with 15 minutes to play.
With momentum on its side, Danville swarmed the Greencastle goal looking to level the match but Monnett was up to the best the Warriors had left and the Tiger Cubs eventually broke the pressure, seeing out the last few minutes on equal terms for the win.