Posted 2:54 am Saturday, November 21, 2009
TJC Blanks Lewis & Clark To Earn Championship Berth
By JOE BUIE
Staff Writer
Apparently, the Tyler Junior College women's soccer coach can get enough of a good thing.
Staff Writer
Apparently, the Tyler Junior College women's soccer coach can get enough of a good thing.
Corey Rose broke up the vaunted Cara Newton-to-Scarlett Tarno combination in the biggest match of the year Friday night, and it produced the decisive goal that has TJC one win from a national title.
Karly Baker scored on a header in the 58th minute and Newton provided the icing with a late goal to give the Apache Ladies a 2-0 win over defending champion Lewis & Clark (Ill.) at Pat Hartley Field.
TJC (18-0-1), in only its second year to have women's soccer, will play Johnson County (Kan.) for the NJCAA Division I women's championship at 1 p.m. Sunday.
Johnson County (19-6), like TJC making its first appearance at nationals, took a 1-0 win over Paradise Valley (Ariz.) in the other semifinal.
The Apache Ladies upped their attack in the second half, leading to four corner kicks after managing only one in the first half.
A simple misplay by the Lewis & Clark goalkeeper led to the game-turning corner after the ball slipped through the legs of Maggie Dudas and over the end line.
Newton took the corner kick, only this time it was designed for the near post where Baker was positioned instead of to the far post to Tarno. Baker's header deflected off the keeper and into the right side of the net.
"We've been doing the same thing on corner kicks, playing the ball to the far post to Scarlett," Rose said. "That works so well. We were like, 'Cara we need to change it up a little bit and play some to the near post.'"
Baker, a freshman defender from Van Alstyne, was nearly in disbelief after the game.
"I really can't believe that happened," Baker said. "I just happened to be there at the right time, I guess.
"Actually, I kind of blacked out just a little bit. Everything turned off and I just jumped up and got it. It's really too fast to even think about it."
The Trailblazers had a couple of decent opportunities in the final four minutes, but nothing requiring the kind of difficult save that Beatrice Soto made in the first half.
Lewis & Clark had two shots on goal in the second half.
"Hard work is going to overcome individual talent in most cases, and I think that showed tonight," Rose said. "They had two very talented players (midfielder and forward).
"We tried to shut down (Katya Hessel) in the middle. She has great service of the ball to (Kaylee Neutzling) up top. Our defense just shined tonight."
The defense was led by Ciara Slayton, Christine Ragona and Brittany Wispell. Rose said the offense was sparked by Claudia Saucedo, Newton, Cassandra Branch and Jordan Sickman.
Slayton had the assist on the final goal after kicking a long ball to Newton, who beat the goalie one-on-one in the open field with 21 seconds left.
