Warsaw Wins Fifth-Straight Girls Soccer Sectional Title
Posted
Anthony Gadson-agadson@timesuniononline.com
The Warsaw girls soccer team extended its sectional championship streak to five with a 2-1 victory over the Culver Girls Academy Saturday in Warsaw. “CGA is a very disciplined team,” Warsaw coach Peter Lucht said. “They knew their team strengths and weaknesses, and continued to fight all the way throughout the game. They overloaded the box on their corner kick, and thus were able convert (for their goal in the 58th minute). Prior to the CGA score, Warsaw senior Brooklyn Jackson gave her team a nice cushion. Early on, Jackson put Warsaw up 1-0, scoring off an assist from Sydney Wiedeman, then increased that lead to 2-0, scoring off an assist from Elizabeth Van Wormer. Her two-goal effort pushed the Lady Tigers to this week's Goshen Regional, with the opening matches taking place Wednesday. “Brooklyn put herself in the right places at the right time,” said Lucht. “Sydney Wiedeman created the first opportunity with great work ethic, using a great pass back to Brooklyn after her initial attempt on goal was thwarted. Brooklyn had the soccer sense to put the ball on frame immediately as the keeper was out dealing with Sydney. The second goal came after a beautiful entrance pass by Elizabeth Van Wormer. Brooklyn neatly took a first touch to set up her goal, and buried it in the net on her second.” At the regional, Warsaw will face 18th-ranked Goshen, which went 7-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference and shut out the Lady Tigers 2-0 on Sept. 2 in Warsaw. Since that loss, Warsaw's gone 11-1, outscoring opponents 52-9. “I feel like we were in a good place team chemistry-wise for that match, and we had great possession and several goal scoring opportunities throughout the (previous) game,” Lucht said of the matchup with Goshen. “God-willing, we will continue to do what we want to do offensively, and tighten up our defense a bit. No one but God knows the outcome of the games beforehand, but our girls should have confidence in themselves as they have continued to show their character over the course of the season.” The Warsaw/Goshen match will be at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, followed by No. 14 South Bend St. Joe and No. 7 Penn, with the winner of the two matches moving on to Saturday's championship at 7 p.m. Winning the program’s fifth-straight sectional and its eighth overall, Lucht sees girls come and go each year, but has found a way to keep the winning going. “I don't believe any person outside of our program expected last year's great results, but God blessed and we went 11-4-2 and were the sectional champs,” he said. “This year, in addition to our internal hopes, we were much more of a known quantity. Last year, we grew into a good team. This year, God has continued to bless and we are 13-2 and sectional champs again. I am grateful!”
WARSAW 2, CULVER GIRLS ACADEMY 1 (Sectional 7, C'ship) W – Brooklyn Jackson (Sydney Wiedeman) 12th min. W – Jackson (Elizabeth Van Wormer) 55th min. C – Korryn Brewer 58th min. Warsaw Record: 13-2
