By Kristi McDevitt
Sports Correspondent
The Oxford varsity soccer team met up with Linden last Monday, and a victory over the Eagles would’ve sealed the Ladycats into second place in the Metro League.
In the second match-up of the season with Linden (first game resulted in a tie), it had been over a week since Oxford had played in a league game, and the Ladycats came out a little rusty.
Oxford struggled in the first half of play and allowed the Eagles to score. Sophomore goalkeeper Kelly Henry made some key saves and Oxford’s defense balanced the backfield not allowing Linden another goal in the half. In the second half, senior Darci Kujawa lofted the ball over the Eagle’s keeper on a free kick from 20 yards out to score the goal and tie the game at 1-1. Linden then launched a full-out offensive on Oxford defense, but the tenacious play of the Ladycat backfield and Henry’s presence in the net turned the Eagles away empty-handed shot after shot. Linden finally scored on an awkward shot that skidded past the defense, and off of Henry’s hands and into the goal. With Linden up a goal, it was Oxford’s turn to launch their own attack with ten minutes left in the game, and their offense created numerous opportunities to score, but the Ladycats couldn’t convert as time ran out. Oxford was defeated 2-1.
The Oxford kickers are on a mission going into the second half of the season and that is clearly to let all the league teams know that they are one of the best in the league and cannot be overlooked.
On Wednesday, the squad looked to keep a winning record against the Holly Bronchos (Oxford defeated Holly earlier in the season 1-0).
In the first half of play, Oxford’s offensive effort of sophomore Sam Bono, senior Christine Fortier, juniors Gena Nelson and Lisa Reile, and freshman Alexandra Johnson kept getting the ball past the Holly defense, but couldn’t get the ball in for a goal. Holly kept coming back at Oxford and keeper Kelly Henry came up big on two breakaways to stifle the Broncho’s pressure. The persistent Holly offense finally broke the Ladycat’s defense and Oxford was down 0-1 going into halftime. In the second half, Oxford didn’t waste any time to strike. Bono found a sprinting Darci Kujawa coming down the right side of the field and delivered her the ball. Kujawa kicked the ball to the far post of the goal that skipped off the Broncho keeper’s hands and into the back of the net for the score.
For Oxford’s next goal, this time it was Kujawa assisting Bono for her first goal of the night. Kujawa fed the ball to Sam Bono who faked out a few Holly defenders and slotted the ball in to give Oxford the 2-1 advantage.
With the game minutes winding down, senior captain Christine Fortier got a breakaway and chipped the ball over the Holly keeper’s head, but the shot rang off the crossbar only to find an incoming Bono who shot the ball in for her second goal of the night and winning the game 3-1.
Head coach John Thaler applauded the efforts of captain Gena Nelson, Lisa Reile, senior Kehly Hicks, and Alex Johnson who kept the pressure up and kept the Broncho’s keeper on her toes throughout the entire second half.
Oxford’s record improves to 6-3-2 overall and 4-2-1 in the league. the ball to Sam Bono who faked out a few Holly defenders and slotted the ball in to give Oxford the 2-1 advantage.
With the game minutes winding down, senior captain Christine Fortier got a breakaway and chipped the ball over the Holly keeper’s head, but the shot rang off the crossbar only to find an incoming Bono who shot the ball in for her second goal of the night and winning the game 3-1.
Head coach John Thaler applauded the efforts of captain Gena Nelson, Lisa Reile, senior Kehly Hicks, and Alex Johnson who kept the pressure up and kept the Broncho’s keeper on her toes throughout the entire second half.
Oxford’s record improves to 6-3-2 overall and 4-2-1 in the league.