Blazers keep Rebels winless

October 02, 2009|By JACK HILL III/Staff Correspondent

HAGERSTOWN -- Miranda Kearny scored two goals in the second half and freshman goalkeeper Tori Albert had 14 saves to help the Clear Spring Blazers defeat the South Hagerstown Rebels 4-1 on Thursday night in an MVAL Antietam girls soccer game at School Stadium.

"I just tried my hardest," Albert said. "On that one goal that they scored, there was nothing I could do about it. I tried. I was just going to get the ball and making sure that it didn't get into the net.

"I think we're doing well so far this year. A lot of the younger players have stepped up. Our team can continue to be successful, if we play our best."

Clear Spring coach Brian Albert, Tori's father, said the Blazers did a good job of overcoming a slow start.

"We came out a little slow in the first half," Brian Albert said. "It seemed like we were a little sluggish. We just weren't playing our best soccer. We are a well-conditioned team. I think our speed just got to them and wore them down in the second half."

Clear Spring (4-3, 1-1) got on the scoreboard first when Elizabeth Boyer scored a goal from the right side on an assist by Bri Davis in the 25th minute.

The Blazers added another goal in the 35th minute when Jessica Barnhart scored from the right side on an assist by Bethany Bowers to stretch the lead to 2-0.

South (0-7-1, 0-3) got its only goal with just a minute left before halftime when Lexi Turano scored through the middle on an assist by Danielle Langley.

Clear Spring extended its lead to 3-1 in the 47th minute when Kearny scored on another assist by Bowers.

The Blazers got their final goal in the final two minutes when Kearny scored on an assist by Ashlyn Long.

Rebels goalkeeper Chandler Shipway had eight saves.

"It was our best game of the season on terms of what happened on the field," South coach Scott Buhrman said. "The score doesn't reflect our excellent effort. We worked the ball up the field well. We got some great shots on goal."

Buhrman said he was impressed with Tori Albert's play at the net for the Blazers.

"She had a very good game," Buhrman said. "She frustrated us many times."

Brian Albert said his team has a lot of potential.

"We're a very young team," he said. "We only have three seniors. We are getting a lot of experience under our belts. We are starting to come together as a team and it is showing. I think we'll be in every game for the rest of the way."

Clear Spring also won the JV game, 7-0.

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