Kennett breaks through for first Ches-Mont League victory
CALN – Two teams desperate for their first girls soccer Ches-Mont League win battled on a bright but breezey Monday afternoon. When the day ended, Kennett High School would be riding home with a one in its division win column.
Elizabeth Dawyot broke a tie with a little over 10 minutes left in the second half to help the Blue Demons a 2-1 victory against Coatesville.
“It felt great,’ Dawyot said of the tie-breaking goal. “We’ve been working together and it showed the we’re almost there. We’re actually connecting and working together and it reaaly pays off.’
Moments after the Red Raiders (0-4 division) scored the equalizer, the Blue Demons (1-3), who carried more of the play in the second half, struck.
A pass from Codie Armitage sent Dawyot through, she deked a defender at the top of the box to send her in one-on-one with goalkeeper Shannon McLaughlin. Dawyot calmly slipped the ball past the on-rushing McLaughlin with 10:11 left to give Kennett the lead.
“Codie Armitage gave me a great through ball,’ said Dawyot. “I made a move by the defender and looked up and was able to put it by the keeper.’
Mark Farra, in his first year as coach of Kennett, was understandly excited following the game.
“First division win this year,’ said Kennett coach Mark Farra said. “It was awesome, actually.’
The first half started on the tepid side as the game was played more from the of one penalty box to the other. There was just six combined shots in the first 40 minutes with the Red Raiders getting the first decent looks on goal.
Junior Skylar Zaplitny used her speed to get past a Kennett defender, but her shot went right at goalie Danielle Phillips, who was standing in for regular keeper Hannah Shiflet, who missed the game due to illness.
The teams were close to going into halftime scoreless, but Kennett broke through with less than three minutes left.
Off a throw-in, the ball bounced around until it found the foot of Brittnee Cole. The senior found some open space and deposited a shot past McLaughlin into the top right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Blue Demons came out and controlled the play for a majority of the second half, holding a 14-3 shot advantage, and forced McLaughlin into a couple of acrobatic stops. The best of these came with about 15 minutes remaining as Dawyot forced McLaughlin into a full-stretch drive to her left to palm the ball away for a corner kick.
“The coach (Farra) wanted us to use the wide side of the field instead of attacking down the middle,’ said Dawyot. “I think that shows our speed.’
Coatesville registered the tying goal against the run of play as a cross from the right found Zaplitny, who beat Phillips with 13:39 left.
The tie only lasted a little more than two minutes. The Red Raiders pressed for another equalizer, but Kennett clamped down defensively, not allowing any juicy chances for the remaining of the game.
“That’s what we’ll trying to do,’ said Farra. “We’re trying to keep the ball outside and then move the ball up the sides. I tell the defenders to keep it to the outside, don’t let them come through the middle.’
