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Photo by Elliot J. Sutherland/The Ottawa Herald
Ottawa High School sophomore Raeann Fisher, right, fights for possession of the ball with Tonganoxie High School senior Katy Kolman Friday evening during OHS’s home makeup game against the Chieftains. Ottawa won the game, 5-0.
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Aggressive play lifts soccer team to 5-0 win
By GREG MAST, Herald Sports Editor
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Ottawa’s second half blitz put Tonganoxie on its heels Friday in Ottawa.
The Ottawa High School girls soccer team found an extra gear in their tired bodies to forge a 5-0 win in the regular-season finale. The match was a conclusion of last week’s suspended match. The match resumed with Ottawa up 1-0 with 33 minutes remaining.
Ottawa finished at 6-10 and will find out its regional foe in today’s seeding meeting.
Ottawa netted four goals in the second half and controlled the action.
“It was unbelievable,” Ottawa coach Kelly Smith said. “I am going to give my halftime speech at the start of the game. That was a different team out there.
“They have to be aggressive. We were not going to end our regular season playing like that. They put a lot into this.”
The aggressive play started early in the second half. Ottawa made a big run up the field and scored before two minutes was gone in the second half.
Laura Chartier passed the ball to Danielle Stevenson, who fired in the first of her three goals.
Seven minutes later, Eliza Allegre crossed a ball in the air and Stevenson headed it in with 31 minutes remaining. Ottawa led 3-0.
Ottawa did not score for the next 20 minutes, but senior BreAnne Hendricks popped a shot high over the Tonganoxie keeper’s head for her second goal of the match. The assist was from Allegre.
The final goal came late in the contest as Stevenson pushed in a shot from Megan Wilson.
Smith said Stevenson is not afraid to have the ball go off her body toward the goal.
The coach said Tonganoxie did not lay down for Ottawa.
“We got them out of their game in the second half,” Smith said. “It rattled them.”
Ottawa’s defenders did not let much get past them in the second half.
“From the front to back, the difference is communication,” Smith said. “We have played a tough, tough schedule. It has made us better.”
Greg Mast can be reached at sports@ottawaherald.com.
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