WATERFORD MILLS – Lakeland Christian Academy never found the groove it was looking for in Thursday’s girls soccer sectional semifinal game with Westview.
As a result, the Lady Cougars’ season ended with a 3-1 loss at Bethany Christian’s Bodicker Field.
Things began well for LCA, getting off to a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute. As they have done all season, Anna Reimink and Tori Calizo teamed up for the score, with Reimink finding Calizo with a free kick pass right in front of the goal.
Still, Lady Cougar coach Nat Raber said the pace of play favored Westview.
“We wanted to get out a little bit quicker, pick up the pace, but we kinda layed back a little bit and allowed them to get into a groove. Then they wore us down with ball possession,” he said.
The Lady Warriors got the equalizer off the foot of Jodi Hostetler six minutes later, and took the lead in the 27th minute with a goal from Grace Miller. Both scores were initially blocked by LCA keeper Brady Gross, but got away and bounced in.
“At halftime I talked to Brady about both of those goals. I’m sure she’d love to have those back, and nine times out of 10 she’d stop them,” said Raber. “But when one gets by, there’s a snowball effect inside your head, you start thinking too much and another one happens.
“I told her to keep her head up, that it’s OK. It’s a team game and things happen. You’re not going to win many sectional games scoring one goal.”
The rest of the way the Westview defense keyed on Reimink and Calizo, often putting all 11 players in the defensive zone. It remained a one-score match until Lauryn Riegsecker found the net with an insurance goal with less than 2-1/2 minutes to play.
After the match, Raber was focused on the progress the revived program made. LCA hadn’t had a girls soccer team in 10 years, and the Lady Cougars claimed the school’s first IHSAA postseason victory in any sport.
“For the first year of being back as a program, finishing with a winning record in the regular season, and winning a sectional game, I couldn’t be any more proud of them,” he said.
The Lady Cougars finished the season with an 8-6 record.
