Lady Indians shut out Circleville for sectional championship
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Step two this postseason for the Hillsboro Lady Indians was completed in shutout fashion on Thursday night, with the No. 4 seeded Lady Indians winning their sectional championship game over the Circleville Lady Tigers by a 3-0 score.
For the Lady Indians, in their quest to defend their two consecutive district championships, they had to get past the No. 5 seeded Lady Tigers. To do so, they used timely scoring in each half, along with their defense to keep the Lady Tigers scoreless.
"This was obviously a good win," HHS head coach Jeremy Ratcliff said. "The girls played well. They played well as a team and played together. They were unselfish.
"Circleville is a well-coached team and a good program. I'm happy for the girls and pleased with the way they came out and played unselfish, tough, competitive soccer."
The victory by HHS puts them at 12-6 overall. Last season, HHS also defeated CHS by a 3-0 score, but that was in the district semifinals.
[[In-content Ad]]This postseason, HHS has outscored their opponents, 13-0 by defeating Westfall, 10-0 on Monday, and the 3-0 win vs. CHS.
"The defense is coming together," Ratcliff said. "We knew they had a dangerous striker, so we had to communicate and switch marking her. All of the defenders played a great game. I'm happy with the shutout."
On Thursday at the new Hillsboro soccer complex, the first goal for the Lady Indians (and the only goal in the first half) came from senior Trista Rhodes with 17:05 left on the scorebaord.
The 1-0 lead for HHS was saved with a clutch save by Carly Meyer as CHS kicked the ball off the right goal post, which then nearly bounced into the net if not for a stop by the HHS keeper with 11:17 left in the first half.
With the one-goal lead after 40 minutes of play, the senior duo of Kaylee Achor and Kaylynn Bell combined for a goal, and a 2-0 HHS advantage, in the final 40-minute half.
The goal came with Bell throwing the ball towards the goal on a corner throw, followed with Achor knocking the ball into the net, past the CHS keeper with 36:32 remaining in the match.
HHS wasn't finished adding to their lead just yet.
With 32:57 left in regulation, a Lillian Van Zant goal lifted the Lady Indians to a three-goal advantage, with the defense holding the shutout for the remainder of the sectional final match.
HHS finished with nine shots at goal for the match.
Myer finished the match with 13 saves, including seven in the first half, and the other six in the second half.
The win puts HHS in the district semifinals, a district they've won the past two seasons. HHS will now face undefeated and No. 1 seeded Jackson on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at Jackson High School in the district semifinals.
JHS is 16-0-0 on the season, winning on Thursday night against Warren by a 2-1 score in overtime. Jackson and Hillsboro scrimmaged each other in the preseason, with the score being tied, 2-2.
"It has been our goal all year to get back to the districts," Ratcliff said. "This is a new season, and I told the girls the games are only going to get tougher from here.
"You can't take any nights off. After (Thursday) there are just four teams left in the district, and I'm sure all of them are just as hungry to be district champs as we are. We'll head to Jackson on Tuesday and be ready to play."
On the other side of the district, the semifinal game will be Chillicothe vs. either Athens or Fairfield-Union. Chillicothe defeated Unioto, 6-0 on Thursday in their sectional championship match.
For the Lady Indians, in their quest to defend their two consecutive district championships, they had to get past the No. 5 seeded Lady Tigers. To do so, they used timely scoring in each half, along with their defense to keep the Lady Tigers scoreless.
"This was obviously a good win," HHS head coach Jeremy Ratcliff said. "The girls played well. They played well as a team and played together. They were unselfish.
"Circleville is a well-coached team and a good program. I'm happy for the girls and pleased with the way they came out and played unselfish, tough, competitive soccer."
The victory by HHS puts them at 12-6 overall. Last season, HHS also defeated CHS by a 3-0 score, but that was in the district semifinals.
[[In-content Ad]]This postseason, HHS has outscored their opponents, 13-0 by defeating Westfall, 10-0 on Monday, and the 3-0 win vs. CHS.
"The defense is coming together," Ratcliff said. "We knew they had a dangerous striker, so we had to communicate and switch marking her. All of the defenders played a great game. I'm happy with the shutout."
On Thursday at the new Hillsboro soccer complex, the first goal for the Lady Indians (and the only goal in the first half) came from senior Trista Rhodes with 17:05 left on the scorebaord.
The 1-0 lead for HHS was saved with a clutch save by Carly Meyer as CHS kicked the ball off the right goal post, which then nearly bounced into the net if not for a stop by the HHS keeper with 11:17 left in the first half.
With the one-goal lead after 40 minutes of play, the senior duo of Kaylee Achor and Kaylynn Bell combined for a goal, and a 2-0 HHS advantage, in the final 40-minute half.
The goal came with Bell throwing the ball towards the goal on a corner throw, followed with Achor knocking the ball into the net, past the CHS keeper with 36:32 remaining in the match.
HHS wasn't finished adding to their lead just yet.
With 32:57 left in regulation, a Lillian Van Zant goal lifted the Lady Indians to a three-goal advantage, with the defense holding the shutout for the remainder of the sectional final match.
HHS finished with nine shots at goal for the match.
Myer finished the match with 13 saves, including seven in the first half, and the other six in the second half.
The win puts HHS in the district semifinals, a district they've won the past two seasons. HHS will now face undefeated and No. 1 seeded Jackson on Tuesday, Oct. 21 at Jackson High School in the district semifinals.
JHS is 16-0-0 on the season, winning on Thursday night against Warren by a 2-1 score in overtime. Jackson and Hillsboro scrimmaged each other in the preseason, with the score being tied, 2-2.
"It has been our goal all year to get back to the districts," Ratcliff said. "This is a new season, and I told the girls the games are only going to get tougher from here.
"You can't take any nights off. After (Thursday) there are just four teams left in the district, and I'm sure all of them are just as hungry to be district champs as we are. We'll head to Jackson on Tuesday and be ready to play."
On the other side of the district, the semifinal game will be Chillicothe vs. either Athens or Fairfield-Union. Chillicothe defeated Unioto, 6-0 on Thursday in their sectional championship match.