LANCERS `CROSS' OFF LADY TIGERS 1-0; CENTRAL SEASON ENDS IN SECTIONAL

FENTON -- One mis-aimed kick from over 25 yards away was all it took to end perfection.

Lafayette freshman Jen Cross, aiming for the far post, fired a free kick through the diving arms of Cape Girardeau Central goalie Amy Harris on the near post side with 15 minutes left in the first half of Thursday's sectional high school girls soccer game on the artificial turf of the Anheuser-Busch Sports Complex.

That goal proved to be the only score in the Lancers' 1-0 win over the previously undefeated Lady Tigers.

The loss ends Central's second season of girls soccer with an 18-1 mark. Lafayette advances to Saturday's quarterfinals against St. Joseph's with an 18-3-4 record.

With no score and the ball to the left of Central's goal, Lafayette coach Tim Walters told Cross before the free kick to aim for the right post. But Cross snuck it through a maze of players inside the left post.

"These kids, I guess they think there are two far posts," said Walters jokingly. "It was a horrible goal and you hate to lose on that one. I know their goalie is a lot better than that.

"I say it was a horrible goal, but you throw things at the goal and good things happen. It was unfortunate for Cape."

Harris had a bead on the goal, getting both hands on the shot. But as she dove to her right, the ball squirted through her arms, putting the Lady Tigers behind for the first time all year.

"I wouldn't call it a cheap goal," said Central coach Tom Doyle. "The gal made a good shot, but I was surprised it went in.

"To me, it could have very well been a 0-0 tie. Other than the shot they scored on, they had some opportunities, but nothing real good."

But as Doyle admitted, Lafayette was the better team on this day. Most of the action, especially in the first half, was played in the Lady Tigers' defensive zone.

"Most of the 50-50 balls at midfield they won," Doyle said. "If you win the balls at midfield, you control the game and they did."

Another reason Lafayette controlled the game was the Lancers' controlled the Lady Tigers' top scoring threat. Nichole Thiele entered the game scoring 21 of the Lady Tigers' 53 goals this season. But Lafayette double-teamed Thiele the entire game, allowing her few offensive touches.

"They had one girl on Nichole and she did an excellent job of marking her," Doyle said. "If Nichole would have happened to get away from her, they had another girl back there to back up and slow (Thiele) down.

"She probably feels a little frustrated because she didn't get many chances, but if I was coaching against us, I would have done the same thing."

Walters, who struggled to get a scouting report on the Lady Tigers this week, knew plenty about Thiele entering the game.

"We knew she could score goals and she ran track," said Walters. "But she never really had any chances on us."

Walters said his team was similar to the Lady Tigers, but proved to have a little more depth in the tight game.

"They looked to get the ball to their goal scorer (Thiele) and we just had one or two extra girls than what they had and that was probably the difference," Walters said.

Trailing 1-0 at the half, Central played a much more competitive second half.

"I told the girls if we lose 10-0 or 1-0, we still lose," said Doyle. "So we had to push people up the field to try to score."

Ashley Skinner broke out near midfield on a high bouncing ball for an opportunity early in the second half, but was unable to get off a shot. Midway through the final half, Kim Aslinger put a left-footed shot on goal from about 20 yards away, but the Lancers' goalie easily caught the shot.

With 10 minutes left, Doyle switched goalies to move Harris into the offensive end. Harris got back into the game with about seven minutes left and the Lady Tigers mounted one last charge.

With only three minutes left, senior sweeper Sara Gragg moved the ball up the right side of the Lancers' zone. Gragg attempted a centering pass, but the ball was blocked back to her. She quickly tried to kick the ball again, but her kick went out of bounds and Central never threatened again.

The game ended where most of the game was played, deep in the Lady Tigers' zone.