Both Troy Christian and Bethel wanted to head into the post season tournament this week with some momentum. A win in this country matchup would go a long way heading into the sectionals.
Troy Christian scored twice in the first five minutes of the game, and made it stand up as the Eagles defeated the Bees 2-0 in a non-conference girls’ soccer game last week in Troy.
“I was very happy with our overall team performance, and I thought we handed the ball well,” Troy Christian coach Brian Peters. “We had good movement off the ball, and their enthusiasm and passion was at a high level tonight.”
Kinley Blake put the Eagles on the board in the opening two minutes of the game, as the ball got behind the defender on a deep kick from Eagles keeper Cara Salazar, and Blake took it into the net and scored to give the home team a quick 1-0 lead.
Following a shot by the Eagles, they struck again. Olivia Glasier took a shot from 25 yards out over the keeper, and as it hit the upper post, it fell into the net to stun the Bees fans, and give the Eagles a 2-0 lead with 35:44 left in the opening half. Liah Billler got the assist and the Eagles were in control early.
Nicole Murphy nearly added a third goal for Troy Christian as her shot went off the hands off the Bees keeper, but went over the bar.
Bethel had their first serious scoring threat at the 30:22 mark of the first half when Erica Turner ripped a shot that over the bar.
Turner and Brodi Voight each had shots for Bethel before the Eagles’ Riley Spoltman just missed from making it 3-0, and the final shot on goal in the half came with 12 minutes left when Molly McKenny challenged Salazar, but the Eagles keeper made the save, and the game went to the half with the Eagles leading 2-0.
Troy Christian opened up tournament play Monday night at Springfield Catholic, and the winner of that game returns to the field tomorrow night hosting Northeastern, gametime 7 p.m.
Bethel starts their sectional tournament run tomorrow night, as they play the winner from Monday night’s game between Greeneview and Miami Valley. If Greeneview, the #5 seed was victorious, Bethel will travel to Jamestown tomorrow at 7 p.m. If Miami Valley pulled the upset, they will travel to Bethel.
*Also last week, the Bethel boys’ soccer team defeated Tecumseh 4-3 on the Bees’ Senior Night. Tecumseh scored first when Brandon Thomas scored on a 30-yard shot over the head of the Bees keeper to put the Arrows up 1-0. Bethel evened the score when Sam McKenny hit Zach Cohee in stride and he tied the game. The Arrows took the lead right before the half when James Gray scored from 25-yards out to take a 2-1 lead into the intermission.
Bethel came out in the second half, as nine minutes in, Tyler Brueckman passed to Evan Hawthorn who gave it right back for a shot that tied the game at two. Brueckman added another goal to give Bethel a 3-2 lead, but Thomas came back and tied the game again. With just under two minutes left, Cohee scored with 1:40 left to give the Bees the deciding goal.
*Troy Christian’s boys’ soccer team lost a tough non-conference match last week, losing to Franklin Monroe 2-1. The Eagles then came back and tied Cincinnati Seven Hills 1-1 on Saturday, as they now head into the sectional tournament this week.
Jon Slone, the record holder for goals at Troy Christian, scored the lone goal in each game last week.
Troy Christian hosts National Trail tonight at 7 p.m. in their first sectional tournament game. A win would bring them back Saturday night hosting Catholic Central, also at 7.
Bethel opened play last night, as the #2 seeded Bees hosted the #22 Fairlawn Jets. A win puts Bethel into the second round, as they would host Lehman on Saturday night, also at 7 p.m.
