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August 25, 2001
v. Cincinnati Country Day, #4

Our matchups with CCD are always exciting.  We know it's going to be a physical, well faught game, with the intensity you only find when two teams refuse to lose.  That is exactly the sort of game to which our fans were treated.

The game was a battle back and forth, with both teams showing offensive punch.  About 10 minutes in, senior midfielder Holly Kapela served up a perfect corner kick, which junior striker Liz Kauffman nailed into the back of the net for the Lady Warrior's first goal of the season.  CCD pounded away at the Lady Warrior defense, but the back three, anchored by senior Gretchen Perry, and juniors Kim Donovan and Lizzy Anthony held strong, with junior keeper Whitney Raeon making 5 saves to take a 1-0 lead into half-time.

The second half picked up right where the first ended, with both teams still fighting for the goal.  Junior midfielder Missy Vierling equalized the score with a tremendous near-post shot about 15 minutes into the half.  Not to be outdone by anyone, Kauffman took a service from keeper/midfielder Raeon, sliced past 2 defenders and once again found the back of the net.  CCD countered minutes later by punishing our Lady Warriors for a sloppy clear out of the box.  The remaining 10 minutes was a barrage of offensive pressure, but neither team could find the go-ahead goal.  Mariemont's "D" and junior keeper Casey Clukey ( 2 saves) held strong to the final whistle.  Score. . . 2-2. 

Our next matchup is with defending CHL champion Wyoming, which should be a great test for where we stand in one of the toughest leagues in the city. 

August 29, 2001
v. Wyoming, #5

With Wyoming graduating the majority of their starters from the 2000 season, Coach Haney had no idea what to expect from the young Cowboys from Wyoming.  Always fast and physical, Wyoming is consistently one of the top teams in the city, regardless of their experience.  That is what our Lady Warriors prepared for, and that is exactly what they got.

In one of the most intense games in recent history, the battle raged from the opening whistle to the final horn.  Stellar defense by the Lady Warriors, led by central back Kim Donovan, kept the Cowboys at bay, taking a 0-0 score into half-time.  The battle continued, with junior strikers Liz Kauffman and Brittany Rahn punishing the Cowboy's keeper.  With 13 minutes remaining, Wyoming sophomore Desiree Morris (a name to remember) streaked down the sideline, and blistered a shot past an outstretched Raeon, who had 14 saves on the night, to take a 1-0 lead.  Finally, with just over a minute to play, senior midfielders Lauren Potts and Holly Kapela worked the ball into the box.  Freshman striker Ashley McCracken went airborne, sliding into a 50/50 ball, and punched it under a diving Wyoming keeper for her first varsity goal, and the equalizer to make the final score 1-1.  

With this kind of intensity, our Lady Warriors are showing they can match up with anyone.  It should continue next Wednesday, when we take on Deer Park in our second CHL matchup.      

September 5, 2001
v. Deer Park

Our Lady Warriors prepared for Deer Park no different than any other team - with intensity!  We knew how well we could do, but not how well Deer Park would do.  As it turns out, it just didn't matter.

After a lethargic start and about 15 shots, junior striker Liz Kauffman began an onslaught that would not let up until half-time.  Senior midfielder Lauren Potts recorded her first goal of the season with a PK late in the half, and added a 2nd goal minutes later.  Junior midfielder Maggie Lyon notched her first two career goals, and junior defender/striker Lisa Hammersmith sent a missile into the back of the net for her first goal of the season.  When half-time finally came, our Lady Warriors had a comfortable 6-0 lead.  

The second half would call for a controlled game of possession, with patience being the key factor in holding on to the victory.  Within 2 minutes, junior striker Brittany Rahn nailed a first time shot into the far post from about 12 yards out.  Kauffman recorded her 2nd goal of the night, and junior defender/midfielder Lizzy Anthony hit her first career goal by taking a perfect cross by Lyon and drilling it to the back of the net on another one touch finish.  With 15 minutes remaining, Coach Haney called off the attack, taking a 9-0 victory over Deer Park.  

An exceptional defensive effort, led by junior Kim Donovan and senior Gretchen Perry held Deer Park to just 2 shots all night, one being a PK which junior keeper Whitney Raeon stopped with a spectacular diving save.  Assists on the night came from sophomore midfielder Erin Faulk (the first of her career), two by Rahn, two by Potts, one each by Lyon and senior midfielder Jenn Sarran, and another career first for freshman striker Ashley McCracken.  Raeon, the school record holder for shutouts in a season and career, notched 2 saves for her first shutout this season, the 17th of her career.

Next up for our Lady Warriors - the Lady Rockets from McNick.  Deer Park was a night of many firsts.  We will look to use this momentum and go for our first win over McNick in at least 6 years.  Good luck, ladies!

September 8, 2001
v. McNicholas, Div. I

Not much to say - we lost 4-1.

September 12, 2001
v. Reading

Reading is a team that can surprise some people if taken lightly.  Although our Lady Warriors did anything but take them lightly, we still came away surprised. 

Packing numbers in the back and playing long ball after long ball to 3 front-runners was the game plan for the Blue Devils from Reading.  That is exactly what we saw for 80 minutes.  This "direct" style of play kept our girls frustrated, and took them out of sync for much of the game.  Although we out-shot Reading 19-12, our attack could not find the back of the net.  Stellar play on the defensive end kept Reading from scoring as well, which was very much expected, but the Blue Devils came away feeling like winners by keeping us at bay, and taking a 0-0 tie to the books.

Once again, our back 3 proved to be too much for Reading, shutting down every opportunity they could muster, with junior defenders Kim Donovan and Lisa Hammersmith leading the way.  Junior keeper Whitney Raeon showed why she is considered the top keeper in the league, saving 7 shots on goal and recording her 2nd shutout of the season, the 18th of her career.   

September 15, 2001
v. Mt. Notre Dame, Div. I

Coach Haney has always said ties are like kissing his sister. . . he's getting really tired of kissing his sister!

Our Lady Warriors came off the opening whistle ablaze, an intensity that has been missing since the Wyoming game.  Within minutes, senior midfielder Lauren Potts went airborne, finding the back of the net with a flying header off of a perfectly placed free kick by her partner, senior midfielder Holly Kapela.  The two connected again minutes later on a corner kick served up by Kapela, taking a quick 2-0 lead.  Mt. Notre Dame, a fast, physical team, didn't let up, however.  They managed to catch our defense off balance just long enough to get one in before the half.  

With a 2-1 lead, Haney switched to a four-back defense going into the 2nd half.  This worked extremely well until the Lady Warriors failed to clear the ball out of the box, on which the Cougars of MND capitalized.  The final 15 minutes was a battle, controlled by the tenacity of the Mariemont defense and the refusal to quit of their offense.  Their efforts, however, could not put MND away.  Final score. . . 2-2.  

Special mention should go to freshman Ashley McCracken, playing perhaps the finest game of her high school career.  Her dominance and hard-nosed style of play is steadily setting a new standard for a Mariemont soccer player.  This energy will be a necessity as we take on the Lions at New Richmond Monday night.  

September 17, 2001
v. New Richmond, #10 ranking

The stock market had its largest one-day decline in history today. . . it will undoubtedly be referred to as Black Monday.  The Lady Warriors wish this day had never come.

Approximately 2 minutes into the game, senior midfielder Holly Kapela served a ball from about 40 yards out, finding senior Lauren Potts crashing into the goal for her 2nd header in 2 games.  The Lions from New Richmond countered about 15 minutes later, and again with about 5 minutes remaining in the half, taking a 2-1 lead into the break.  

After the break, Mariemont turned up the heat, controlling most of the second half.  However, New Richmond denied most of the scoring opportunities our Warriors could put together, and held on for the upset victory.  Definitely not our finest hour.  

This could be the kick in the shorts we need to step up to the challenge of Indian Hill Wednesday night at Kusel stadium.  At a time like this, we need to remember why the United States chose the Eagle as its national bird. . . the Eagle is never afraid to spread its wings and fly through a storm.  

September 19, 2001
v. Indian Hill, #2 city ranking, #6 state ranking

Every top quality team we have faced this season has been a challenge our Lady Warriors have met with passion and determination.  Indian Hill once again provided such a challenge.

Taking the Braves out of their game plan of attacking a flat back 3, while still maintaining our own offensive power was tonight's strategy.  It worked like a charm.  Although Indian Hill out-shot Mariemont 9-4 in the first half, they could not put together any quality shots, failing to score against the tireless Mariemont defense.  Junior striker Liz Kauffman, however, put away a shot 23 minutes into the first half after junior defender Lizzy Anthony worked the ball to freshman striker Ashley McCracken, who crossed a picture perfect ball on frame to Kauffman.  Indian Hill's best scoring chance came after a ball was furiously fought for in the Mariemont penalty area.  After junior keeper Whitney Raeon made a couple of gut-wrenching saves (11 on the night), junior defender Kim Donovan made the defensive play of the game, instinctively clearing away a ball that was virtually inches and a split second from finding the goal.  The Lady Warriors played perhaps the most intense soccer of the season for the remaining 17 minutes to hold on to a 1-0 lead going into the half.    

The intensity did not stop after half-time, with both teams putting together scoring opportunities.  Mariemont was the first to strike, 12 minutes into the half, when senior midfielder Holly Kapela placed yet another perfect corner kick on frame, finding McCracken literally crashing into the goal to give the Lady Warriors a 2-0 lead.  Indian Hill is not a team that takes losing lightly.  With 16 minutes remaining, perhaps the best striker in the city, Jenna Kereiakes, sliced her way past our defense and finally found the back of the net.  5 minutes later, she did it again.  Both teams had opportunities to score in the final 10 minutes, but neither defense would give in.  Final score. . . 2-2.  

The efforts of our Lady Warriors should be recognized and applauded.  This is undoubtedly the best team Indian Hill has ever had, which tells a lot about how far we have come.  Congratulations ladies!  Next up - Columbus Bexley.  We expect they will be very comparable to what we saw tonight. 

September 22, 2001
v. Columbus-Bexley, #4 state ranking

Bexley. . . perennial state semi-finalists, perhaps the best division II team in Columbus, played National Champion Walsh-Jesuit to a 2-1 loss.  We had our work cut out for us!  

As usual, Mariemont came off the opening whistle on fire.  Less than 7 minutes into the half, junior striker Brittany Rahn placed a through-ball to senior captain Lauren Potts.  Potts rifled the ball across the face of the goal, finding junior striker Liz Kauffman at the far post to put it away.  The game went back and forth the remainder of the half.  With about 6 minutes remaining, Bexley equalized the score off of a corner-kick, taking a 1-1 tie into the half-time break.  

With junior keeper Casey Clukey able to play again, the Lady Warriors made the keeper change, playing starting keeper Whitney Raeon (9 saves in the first half) in the central midfield.  Less than 2 minutes into the 2nd half, Kauffman found Potts, who blasted a shot past a stunned Bexley keeper.  With a 2-1 lead, our Lady Warriors refused to let this one go.  Stellar defensive play from top to bottom, and excellent work from our reserves kept us fresh for the duration of the game.  With 15 minutes remaining, Coach Haney pulled freshman stud Ashley McCracken off the front line and assigned her to shut down Bexley's big gun, Jenni Soldano, a 2-time all-state player.  The play of the game came from McCracken who recovered on a Soldano breakaway to get perfect position and take down Soldano, denying the Lions' last opportunity to score.  Clukey recorded 4 saves in the 2nd half to hold onto the 2-1 Mariemont victory.  

The way our Lady Warriors played today was the boost of confidence the girls needed to go into our toughest stretch of the season.  Beginning Wednesday, we will be faced with 5 formidable foes in 7 days.  Until then, they can be proud of the way they performed against these last two opponents, considered among the best in the state.  A job well done, ladies!!

September 26, 2001
v. Finneytown

Finneytown has come up with a couple of big games on the season.  A tie against Reading (surprise, surprise), and wins over Deer Park and Kings.  Our Lady Warriors prepared for them as they would any other tough competition - with intensity.

47 seconds into the game, junior striker Liz Kauffman went right at the Wildcat defense, centering a beautiful ball, and found fellow junior striker Brittany Rahn soaring through the air, blasting the back of the net on a highlight-film header.  The tone was set for the game.  5 minutes later, Kauffman took an assist from sophomore midfielder Erin Faulk, and dropped a shot in the far post, giving our Mariemont an impressive 2-0 lead.  Finneytown was able to slow the pace for the next 15 minutes, but they had no chance to stop senior captain Lauren Potts from getting at least one assist in the half.  Potts connected with junior striker Maggie Lyon, who nailed a left-footed first-timer past a frozen Finneytown keeper.  The Wildcats, however managed to counter 2 minutes later, taking a 3-1 deficit into the half-time break.  

The second half maintained a slower tempo than our Lady Warriors are accustomed.  Although we fired 13 shots at the Finneytown defense, the only one that found net was when Potts and Rahn combined to find Kauffman crashing the goal, giving the Mariemont a 4-1 lead.  Keepers Whitney Raeon and Casey Clukey combined for 4 saves to anchor the victory for the Lady Warriors.  

We take on a very formidable foe in McNick tomorrow night at Paradise.  Game summary can be found under the September 8, 2001 listing.  Good Luck, ladies.

September 29, 2001
v. Walnut Hills, #8 city ranking, Div. I

Any time we play a Division I opponent, we can expect a tough challenge.  The Lady Eagles from Walnut Hills posed such a challenge.  

Walnut Hills struck first in this friendly rivalry.  Tamara Fennell, the senior forward for the Lady Eagles, juked one way, and ripped a near post rocket from about 15 yds. out.  About 3 minutes later, Walnut struck again to take a 2-0 lead into the half.    

With about 22 minutes remaining in the second half, junior striker Liz Kauffman got whacked in the penalty area by an overzealous Walnut defender.  Senior midfielder Holly Kapela rose to the occasion and sunk her first goal of the season with a textbook penalty kick into the right upper 90 to pull within one goal.  Walnut countered with 7 minutes left in the game with a PK of their own to give the Lady Eagles a 3-1 lead to ice the victory.  Mariemont keeper Whitney Raeon recorded 5 saves on the night.  

Although they took a loss, our Lady Warriors played a very fine game.  Playing up a level is always a great way to prepare for tough opponents, which is exactly what faces Mariemont in these next 3 games versus Summit Country Day (#2 in the city), Madeira (#10 in the city) and Roger Bacon (#1 in the city).  

October 1, 2001
v. Summit Country Day, #5 city ranking

Our 4th game in 6 days, coming on the heals of losses against Division I powers McNick and Walnut Hills, and it happens to be the #5 ranked team in the city for Div. II.  With impressive wins over ranked teams such as CCD, Seven Hills, and a 3-1 win over Hamilton-Badin, Mariemont knew they would be in for a tough night.  

The Lady Warriors came out at the opening whistle with a fury, and a determination to let the Silver Knights from Summit know where they were.  Mariemont dominated the entire first half, shelling 20 shots compared with 2 for Summit.  About 3 minutes after freshman striker Ashley McCracken took out the Summit keeper in an aggressive attempt at a score, junior sweeper Lisa Hammersmith made one of her trademark runs out of the back.  Hammersmith soon found a checking Liz Kauffman, who turned away from pressure, delivered a pass to a waiting McCracken who nailed a 30 yd. shot to the near post, finding just enough space under the keeper for the score.  A 1-0 lead at the half, with junior keeper Whitney Raeon making 1 save, wasn't enough for the Lady Warriors to rest on.  

Fifteen minutes into the second half, senior midfielder Lauren Potts did what she does best - found an open Raeon, who played the second half at outside mid, alone and with space to exploit.  Not what you want to see if you are Summit Country Day!  Raeon noticed the far post open, and hit a picture perfect ball into the upper 90 from about 28 yds. out.  Although Summit got through the Warrior defense for a goal with about 13 minutes remaining, our Lady Warriors shut them down, containing Summit's main threat Jenni Leiter with Potts and McCracken denying her every opportunity.  The last 3 minutes of the game found Summit desperately trying to find a shot, but junior keeper Casey Clukey and company would allow nothing of the sort.  Final score. . . 2-1.  A fantastic win over a fantastic team.  

October 3, 2001
v. Madeira, #10 city ranking

In one of the more exciting rivalries in girls soccer, these two titans of the pitch went at it tooth and nail.  With the CHL title being decided between Indian Hill and Wyoming, the Amazons of Madeira and our own Lady Warriors were battling for one thing. . . pride.  

Madeira came out as the aggressor, immediately pressuring the tenacious Warrior defense.  With junior keeper Whitney Raeon (4 saves on the night) in the net, the back four, held tough for the entire first half, allowing only 6 shots from the Amazons.  Mariemont struck first on the scoreboard with 10 minutes remaining the in first half, when junior defender/midfielder Lizzy Anthony found junior striker Liz Kauffman, who ripped a near post shot past an outstretched Amazon keeper.   Less than 5 minutes later, freshman stopper/striker/midfielder Ashley McCracken settled a through-ball by senior midfielder Lauren Potts, and blasted a left-footed missile into the back of the net.  The Lady Warriors took the 2-0 lead into their half-time break.  

The second half went back and forth, with both teams exchanging offensive surges and defensive stands.  Fantastic defensive play by the Lady Warriors, led by senior midfielder Holly Kapela, shut down any opportunity Madeira could muster down the middle of the field.  With junior keeper Casey Clukey making 5 saves in the half, Mariemont held onto their 2-0 lead, and recorded their 3rd shutout of the season. 

October 6, 2001
v. Roger Bacon, #1 city ranking, #3 state ranking

WOW!!  We knew this would be 80 minutes of "in your face" soccer, with Roger Bacon smothering any attempt to put together an attack.  We showed that we can play "in your face" as well!

Roger Bacon, the #1 ranked team in Division II since preseason, and currently the #3 ranked team in Ohio, has a reputation of outworking their opponents, shutting down possession games, and attacking relentlessly.  That is exactly what our Lady Warriors saw today at the Spartan's home field.  For the entire first half, both teams played with an uncommon fury.  Bacon outshot Mariemont 6-3 in the half, but could not put together any real scoring threat.  Junior defenders Lisa Hammersmith, Kim Donovan, and Lizzy Anthony, along with senior defender Gretchen Perry, junior keeper Whitney Raeon, and freshman stopper Ashley McCracken shut down every true opportunity Bacon had on goal.  The punch of Bacon's big guns, seniors Ashley Janning and Michelle Kelly, found the Warrior defense impenetrable.  The combined efforts of Donovan, senior midfielder Holly Kapela, and McCracken shut down Janning, quite possibly the Division II Player of the Year.  The closest Bacon came to a score was on a free kick from about 25 yds. out.  Raeon leaped and punched the ball over the cross bar for the best of her 3 saves in the half.  Our Lady Warriors put together a few opportunities as well.  Senior Jenn Sarran and junior Brittany Rahn provided the only shots on goal in the first half for Mariemont, with Rahn getting through a fierce Spartan defense on a breakaway.  Bacon keeper Sherry Slye, perhaps the best keeper in the city, cleaned up all three shots to close out the half.  

The second half proved to be even more intense than the first.  With a reminder to go wide and crash down the middle, our Lady Warriors executed that plan continuously.  Tremendous midfield play by seniors Kapela and Lauren Potts kept the pace of the game at a fast tempo.  Sophomore midfielder Erin Faulk, 2nd half midfielder Raeon, and junior striker Liz Kauffman kept the Bacon defense off-balance for the entire 40 minutes.  Defensively, McCracken controlled Bacon's main target Janning on every set play, denying any and every shot.  Finally, with less than 4 minutes to play, it all came together for the Warriors.  Kapela and Potts directed the play to the outside, finding Raeon in open space.  Raeon advanced the ball up the touchline, finding Sarran making a textbook run to the corner.  Raeon delivered the ball behind the Spartan defenders to Sarran, who took the ball to about 16 yards out, slotted a picture-perfect ball to the penalty spot, finding Potts crashing down the middle, who calmly nailed a first-timer to the far post.  The final 3 minutes were in the hands of the Mariemont defense, 11 players strong.  Junior keeper Casey Clukey came up big several times, as she had the entire half, taking out several Spartans in her wake, making 4 saves to preserve Mariemont's 4th shutout victory of the season, perhaps the finest of these girls' careers.  We are for real, and we are hitting on all cylinders.  Just the boost we needed to solidify our confidence and finish one of the most grueling weeks these girls have endured all season.  Congratulations, ladies!!     

October 8, 2001
v. Batavia

We are on a roll right now!  With 3 straight wins over ranked teams, including 2 shutouts, it would have taken a miracle to slow us down.  The Dawgs from Batavia didn't stand a chance!

Senior night at Kusel stadium is always a pleasure.  Not only to bid farewell to our seniors, but also to see our girls rise up and play to honor their leaders.  With senior forward Ellen Baird making a return appearance, our Lady Warriors took off like a rocket.  After a continuous onslaught of shots on goal, led by senior midfielder Holly Kapela, junior striker Liz Kauffman, and freshman striker Ali Barnes, senior Captain Lauren Potts found the back of the net about 10 minutes into the game.  Freshman stopper Ashley McCracken won a ball in the middle, and put a perfect through ball to Kauffman blazing down the touchline.   Doing what she does best, Kauffman took on the defense and drew them out of the middle, clearing the way for Potts, who ripped a shot into the far upper 90 from about 22 yds. out.  The Warrior defense held Batavia to just 2 shots, with junior keeper Whitney Raeon making both saves to hold a 1-0 lead into the half.  

The second half proved to be even more fruitful (though frustrating) than the first.  Mariemont continued the barrage on the Batavia goal.  However, nothing would find the back of the net, with junior striker Brittany Rahn hitting every post, and several shots hitting Batavia defenders like a pinball machine.  Kauffman finally ended the scoring drought with a beautiful far post shot on a ball fed to her by junior defender Kim Donovan.  3 minutes later, sophomore midfielder Erin Faulk crashed the goal on a Potts corner kick to notch her first goal of the season.  Potts struck again on a corner kick, finding Ali Barnes charging in on the far post and recording her first goal on the season.  With two and a half minutes remaining, Potts would once again (3 assists on the night) connect on a free kick from about 25 yds. out.  Kauffman slipped Potts' service to the near post for her 2nd goal of the evening, her 11th of the season.  With about 3 minutes remaining, and a lively crowd chanting "We Want Ellen", Coach Haney granted them their wish.  Ellen Baird reentered the game, blasted her 1st two shots of the season on frame, and marked the beginning of her return to regular play.  Final score for the Warriors 4th straight victory. . . 5-0.

Mariemont out shot Batavia 43-2 on the night, giving keepers Raeon and Casey Clukey their 5th and 3rd (respectively) shutouts of the season.  The Mariemont defense, led by senior Gretchen Perry and juniors Lizzy Anthony and Lisa Hammersmith kept every real scoring threat at bay, continuing their dominance in the backfield.  The Lady Warriors close out their regular season Wednesday night against league rival Taylor at Kusel Stadium.

October 10, 2001
v. Taylor

Taylor -  a team notorious for physical play and unpredictable results.  On this night, however, they had to come into Mariemont's house and play the hottest team in Division II soccer.  

Outshooting the Lady Yellow Jackets 11-2 in the first half, Mariemont controlled the game from the opening whistle.  With about 19 minutes to play in the half, senior midfielder Holly Kapela struck gold.  Junior defender Kim Donovan, playing with as much confidence and tenacity as any Lady Warrior on the field right now, started our attack out of the back.  Finding Kapela checking from the middle, Donovan served her up and let her do what she does so well.  Slicing through a couple of Taylor defenders, Kapela ripped a low drive from about 25 yds., finding the open near post.  The 1-0 lead would carry Mariemont into the half-time break.  

It didn't take long for our Lady Warriors to light it up in the 2nd half.  Within 4 minutes, senior midfielder Lauren Potts delivered a ball to freshman striker Ashley McCracken, who in turn, served it up for junior striker Liz Kauffman to put it away for the score.  3 minutes later, junior keeper/midfielder Whitney Raeon created another scoring chance.  Raeon connected on a 1-2 with Kapela, who took the ball into the box, and slotted a hard liner across about 8 yds. out.  Kauffman once again finished with a highlight film diving header to give Mariemont a 3-0 edge.  Junior striker Brittany Rahn iced the victory with 26 minutes to play, taking a ball served up from senior midfielder Jenn Sarran and blasting it into the back of the net.  After being stung with 28 second half shots, the Yellow Jackets couldn't wait to get out of our house.  Final score. . .  4-0.  

Junior keeper Casey Clukey combined with Raeon for 3 saves on the night, recording their 4th and 6th shutouts (respectively) on the season.  Our Lady Warriors end their regular season with an 8-3-5 record, a # 3 city ranking, a # 7 state ranking, and a 5 game winning streak to carry them into tournament.  Our first tournament opponent will be Finneytown at Kusel Stadium on Thursday, October 18th.  Don't miss out on an exciting ride.  

October 18, 2001
v. Finneytown, State Tournament

One thing we can always count on during tournament - teams are going to be much stronger than we expect.  

The Wildcats from Finneytown came out tonight to avenge a 4-1 loss earlier in the season.  Although Mariemont controlled the game, Finneytown was not going to lie down and let us beat them.  26 minutes into the game, however, our Lady Warriors found what they had been looking for -  a score.  Senior midfielder Holly Kapela, our corner kick specialist, placed yet another corner into the box, where freshman standout Ashley McCracken crashed in, touching the ball into the net.  With a 1-0 lead, Mariemont held tough through the half, with fine defensive play from senior Gretchen Perry, and juniors Kim Donovan, Lizzy Anthony, and Lisa Hammersmith.  Junior keeper Whitney Raeon made saves on the two shots Finneytown could manage in the half.  

The second half proved to be similar to the first, with our Lady Warriors controlling the majority, but Finneytown refusing to let up.  We gave them a chance to equalize the score, giving up a penalty kick about 8 minutes into the half.  Junior keeper Casey Clukey (2 saves on the night), however, made a spectacular save, diving to her right to shut down the chance.  Minutes later, Mariemont left their door open down the middle of the field, on which the Wildcats capitalized.  From about 20 yards out, Rachel Barnett ripped a beautiful line shot over an outstretched Clukey to tie the score at 1-1.  That is where the score remained until nearly the end of regulation.  Senior midfielder Lauren Potts reentered the game after a brief rest with about 10 minutes to play with specific instructions - take control of the game, and connect with junior striker Liz Kauffman.  With about 1:20 remaining, Potts lit it up, taking a ball out of the air on the left side of the field, cutting past a defender towards the near post, and slotting a diagonal ball to Kauffman making a diagonal run.  Kauffman one-touched the ball far post, past a stunned Wildcat keeper for the go-ahead goal.  

Was this a wake up call for our Lady Warriors, or just a fired up Finneytown squad playing out of their minds?  We can take no team lightly, and our test will not get easier as we advance.  Our next opponent will be the winner of the Georgetown/Batavia game at a neutral site next Monday. 

October 22, 2001
v. Batavia, State Tournament
District Semifinal 

After the intensity that Finneytown came out with last Thursday, our Lady Warriors knew they would have to come ready to play for 80 minutes.  That's just what they did.

Within 2 minutes, senior defender Gretchen Perry found senior striker Ellen Baird checking back to the ball.  Baird turned and found junior striker and team leading scorer Liz Kauffman on a diagonal run.  Kauffman ripped a beautiful shot from about 18 yards out to take a quick 1-0 lead.  Mariemont controlled the remainder of the half, but the Dawgs from Batavia played tough defense, shutting down the attack.  Kauffman, however, struck again with about 7 minutes remaining, taking a cross from freshman striker Ali Barnes and nailing it into the back of the net.  3 minutes later, Kauffman banged another one home on yet another assist from Baird, recording her 1st hat trick performance of the season.  The Lady Warrior defense did not allow a shot on goal to preserve the 3-0 lead going into the half time break. 

With the Dawgs feeling tired, Mariemont knew they could keep using the width of the field and tire them even further.  Batavia broke through the Warrior defense on a missed clear, however, taking advantage of the breakaway opportunity.  Giving chase, junior defender Kim Donovan took down the Batavia striker on what is known as a "professional foul".  Senior Jennifer Wehrman of Batavia placed the penalty kick into the upper right 90 to close the lead to 3-1.  Just over a minute later, senior midfielder Lauren Potts connected with junior striker Brittany Rahn on a flank run, who took her defender baseline and nailed a missile to the far post from about 12 yards out.   That assist made Pottsy the All-Time Assist Leader for Mariemont with 41 for her career, surpassing 1999 grad Erika Howland's record of 40.  Back to the game. . . with just under 3 minutes remaining, sophomore midfielder Erin Faulk blasted a left footer served in from junior defender Lisa Hammersmith to give the Lady Warriors a comfortable 5-1 lead.  Freshman striker Ashley McCracken iced the victory with a cannon from about 12 yards out on a service from senior midfielder Jenn Sarran with only 12 seconds left in regulation.  Final score. . . 6-1.  

Special mention should be given to the Lady Warrior defense, led by juniors Hammersmith, Donovan, Lizzy Anthony, Sarah Heller, senior Gretchen Perry and freshman Virginia Holmes, who held the Dawgs shotless (except for the PK) for the entire game.  Outstanding defensive efforts by the Lady Warrior midfield, led by Potts and fellow senior Holly Kapela, also proved to be key to our success.  We must now prepare for perhaps the toughest game of these girl's careers - the District Championship against arch-rival Indian Hill Thursday night at Sycamore.  The season comes down to this - who wants it more???  

October 25, 2001
v. Indian Hill, State Tournament
District Championship

This game was hyped as the game of the year.  Arch rivals, cold night, 30 mph winds, 2 of the top teams in Ohio. . . everything you could ask for in a championship game.  

The Hill came out from the opening whistle with the intention of dominating offensively.  Mariemont's defense, however, would not allow a quality shot inside 25 yards.  The Braves tenacity gave them the break they needed.  About 14 minutes in, they were awarded a corner kick.  With 30 mph winds, junior keeper Whitney Raeon was at a severe disadvantage.  Though she had 9 saves in the half, Indian Hill connected to take a quick 1-0 lead.  Minutes later, Erin Schmitt blasted a rocket from about 35 yards out to find the upper 90, giving the Braves a 2-0 lead.  Shortly before the half, they connected on yet another corner kick to take a comfortable 3-0 lead into the break.  Defensively, Indian Hill did exactly what they needed to prevent a Mariemont attack - seal off the outside.  In one of the finest defensive games I've ever seen, the Braves played flawless defense to stop our attack.  We did get off 7 shots in the half, but none could find the back of the net.  

The second half continued to be controlled mainly by Indian Hill, but not without threats by our Lady Warriors.  Just missing on several scoring chances, Mariemonts's attack came back to life.  Nothing, however, found the goal.  The Braves iced the victory on a fluke goal with about 10 minutes remaining.  Junior keeper Casey Clukey came up with 6 saves in the half.  

Exceptional efforts by defenders Kim Donovan, who shut down Indian Hill striker Jenna Kereiakes, midfielders Holly Kapela and Erin Faulk, and junior striker Liz Kauffman kept the spirit up for the Lady Warriors for 80 minutes.  These girls should be proud of their season, as we are all proud of them.  District finalists in 3 of the last 4 years is quite an accomplishment.

Season Wrap-up

Once again, our Lady Warriors exceded all expectations.  Even losing 2 of the best players in Mariemont history, these girls did not miss a beat, recording their 3rd straight 10-win season.  This season was even more spectacular considering some of the teams we outperformed:  a 1-0 win over #1 ranked Roger Bacon;  a 2-1 win over #4 state-ranked Columbus Bexley;  a 2-1 win over #2 ranked Summit Country Day.  We advanced to the district finals for the 3rd time in 4 years and finished the season ranked #3 in Cincinnati and #7 in Ohio.  Individually, we had 10 girls receive All League honors, 3 All City selections (a first for Mariemont), and our 3rd All State selection in as many years.  Not a bad season!

Although we were dealt several adversities, a few frustrations, and many emotions, we battled through with poise and  composure.  This is a fantastic group of young women with bold futures, on or off the soccer field.  The dedication and leadership which our seniors provided will undoubtedly prove to be a benchmark for future teams.  Though they will be profoundly missed, their legacy will live on.  Once again, it has been a truly exciting and memorable season, one that I will always cherish.  My prayers, as always, are with each of these girls, and my best wishes go out to each of them as they move on until next season and beyond.    In closing, my warmest thanks to them, and to you, our supporters, for yet another wonderful season.  

Coach Haney

2000 ARCHIVES

1999 ARCHIVES

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