custom ad
SportsMay 26, 2016

ST. LOUIS -- There was no celebration, just a handshake and a huddle. This time around, it was all business for the Saxony Lutheran girls soccer team. With pressure -- both internal and external -- to defend their Class 1 state championship, the Crusaders secured a return trip to the final four Wednesday with a 6-2 victory over Principia, and they walked off the field knowing there's still more left to do...

Saxony Lutheran's Taylor Fritsche, left, and Brianna Mueller, right, celebrate the first goal of the game by teammate Grace Mirly, center, during a Class 1 sectional Wednesday in St. Louis.
Saxony Lutheran's Taylor Fritsche, left, and Brianna Mueller, right, celebrate the first goal of the game by teammate Grace Mirly, center, during a Class 1 sectional Wednesday in St. Louis.Gordon Radford ~ Special to Southeast Missourian

ST. LOUIS -- There was no celebration, just a handshake and a huddle. This time around, it was all business for the Saxony Lutheran girls soccer team.

With pressure -- both internal and external -- to defend their Class 1 state championship, the Crusaders secured a return trip to the final four Wednesday with a 6-2 victory over Principia, and they walked off the field knowing there's still more left to do.

"Actually, the first thing we said was, 'Where are we going to eat?' Those were the first words that came out of my mouth," Saxony senior Grace Mirly said.

Principia junior Hannah Sipe tries to steal the ball from Saxony Lutheran sophomore Laurel Mueller during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo.  Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian
Principia junior Hannah Sipe tries to steal the ball from Saxony Lutheran sophomore Laurel Mueller during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo. Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian

"Last year we had a little more looseness about us. This year it's not that we were scared we wouldn't make it back, but we knew that we had that standard and we had to meet it. I feel like we were really determined this game. ... I think right now we're a little bit relieved but also very, very excited to make it back."

Saxony (20-1) controlled the run of play for most of the game against a Panther side that offered a fraction of the physicality the Crusaders had seen in last week's district championship against St. Vincent. They took advantage of that time and space, getting six goals from five different players -- even with Tess Daniel sitting out a red-card suspension -- including a pair from Laurel Mueller.

Taylor Fritsche, Brianna Mueller, Cassidee Wunderlich and Maddie Brune also scored for the victors.

"Yeah, that is awesome. I honestly couldn't have told you everyone who scored," Saxony coach Garrett Fritsche said. "It was an overall team effort. There were a few lapses, and those were their two goals -- we dove in. But, overall, we possessed the ball well, we played it well in the back and moved the ball forward, and that's what we work on and what we ask them [to do]."

After an early feeling-out period for both teams, Saxony took an early lead in the ninth minute. A long throw-in was flicked on by Mirly, and Taylor Fritsche strode into the ball and smacked it into the bottom left corner of goal from about 12 yards out.

Mirly finished with a pair of assists, giving her 24 on the season.

"We didn't know a lot about what to expect," Mirly said. "We talked more about playing our game because as soon as you start worrying about what to expect, it starts getting in your head and you start getting out of your game. We knew they wouldn't be more physical than St. Vincent, obviously, because they're probably the most physical team we'll play the rest of the way. But we knew they'd be good and competitive, and at this point, nobody is going to [give up]."

The Crusaders doubled their advantage in the 13th minute on Laurel Mueller's first of the day. Brune beat a defender to the end line and centered the ball to Mueller, who struck her first shot off the left post. She cleaned up the mess for a 2-0 edge.

A decisive five-minute swing late in the first half was really the decider, as Principia midfielder Gretchen Friborg pushed into the box, cut to her right and sent a shot just outside the far post in the 18th minute. The missed opportunity loomed large when Saxony took a stranglehold on the game moments later.

Saxony Lutheran senior Brianna Mueller celebrates the first goal during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo.  Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian
Saxony Lutheran senior Brianna Mueller celebrates the first goal during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo. Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian

At the 30:57 mark, midfielder Brianna Mueller sailed a shot from outside the box on the right flank, catching Principia goalkeeper Libby Lewis just off her line. Lewis leapt and got a hand to the ball but not with enough strength to keep it from bouncing into the far corner for a 3-0 score.

Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!
Saxony Lutheran senior Maddie Brune gets a bag of ice for her shoulder and water during halftime of a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo.  Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian
Saxony Lutheran senior Maddie Brune gets a bag of ice for her shoulder and water during halftime of a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo. Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian

Less than two minutes later, Brianna Mueller dumped a corner kick into the 18-yard box, and when the ball bounced loose at the top of the area, Wunderlich was there to knock it inside the left post.

Friborg got Prinicipia on the board a minute later, at 33:48, and notched a second-half strike as well, but her missed shot in the 18th minute turned out to be the difference between a 2-1 contest and a 4-0 cushion.

"That's a perfect assessment of the game. You need that goal," Principia coach Kipp Keller said. "What Gretchen did when it was 4-0 was exactly what I needed earlier. We knew that she could dribble, we knew that she could get in the box with the ball, we knew that she's a good ball striker. If that happens before it gets out of control, then it puts pressure on them, the champion. But we didn't do that, and they ran away with it.

"I want to give all the credit to [Saxony]. When they're the champion, they're the best, and you respect them and give them everything they [give you]. I do think we're a better team than the scoreboard [showed], and I thought we could play our game against them. Some things just had to go our way that didn't go our way. I think when you're the underdog, you need that break of belief. We never got the early break, and they did. And it became an uphill battle."

Saxony's 4-1 halftime lead was cut in half when Friborg scored again in the 55th minute, getting outside a defender and slipping the ball to the far post to make things 4-2.

Friborg was troublesome for much of the game, with her cutting runs in the box creating danger, but the Crusaders controlled the ball enough to protect their lead.

"There were a few lapses, a few [times] diving in, we got a little tired," coach Fritsche said. "It's the hottest it's been all year, and we kind of got a little drained there."

Saxony Lutheran senior Raegan Wieser gives up a goal in the first half during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo.  Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian
Saxony Lutheran senior Raegan Wieser gives up a goal in the first half during a Class 1 sectional playoff soccer match on Wednesday, May 25, 2016 at The Principia in Town & Country, Mo. Gordon Radford ; Special to SouthEast Missourian

But the defending state champions powered through, sealing the game in the 66th minute when Laurel Mueller raced to the ball at the edge of the 6-yard box and was tripped down by an on-rushing Lewis.

Team captain Brune stepped to the spot to take the resulting penalty kick, keeping it simple and smacking it past Lewis for a 5-2 lead.

Mirly then hooked up with Mueller one last time -- the fifth time the pair had connected inside the box to create danger -- sending her in alone on goal. This time, the sophomore striker beat the keeper near post for the icing on the cake.

"They came out and played hard and didn't give up. Yeah, it was 6-2, but they were pushing," Fritsche said. "... If it's a close game, I'd hate to face them in the final 20 minutes."

Saxony advances to the Class 1 final four to take on Father Tolton -- the team it defeated 5-0 in last year's state championship -- at 2 p.m. on June 1 at Swope Park Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri. Father Tolton (12-13) defeated Crocker 7-0 in a quarterfinal Wednesday.

"Half these girls are seniors, and they want to finish on top. But they can't take it for granted either," Fritsche said. "You can tell this year the mentality is a little bit different, but hopefully they stay focused."

Advertisement

Connect with the Southeast Missourian Newsroom:

For corrections to this story or other insights for the editor, click here. To submit a letter to the editor, click here. To learn about the Southeast Missourian’s AI Policy, click here.

Advertisement
Receive Daily Headlines FREESign up today!