March 27, 2008 01:25 pm
—
By Terry Cookston
Herald-Banner Sports
Rockwall's Lady Jacket soccer team was ousted from the Class 5A soccer playoffs on Tuesday by No. 3 area-ranked Allen at the RHS soccer complex.
Allen (22-3) used an aggressive offense and a strong performance by its midfielders to defeat the Lady Jackets 4-0 for the bi-district championship. The Lady Eagles advance to face Mesquite Horn, a 6-0 winner over W.T. White at Mesquite's Hanby Stadium.
Rockwall battled the Lady Eagles to a standoff until the 21st minute when Allen's Dani DeCoursin scored from the box on a fast break.
Lady Jacket senior keeper Mo Graska made six saves, including a spectacular diving catch in the 16th minute before giving up the first goal.
Allen scored again with 3:18 left in the first period on a goal from inside the box by Kelsey Perlman to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break.
Rockwall missed on a scoring opportunity in the 19th minute off a Michelle Kelley foul kick that was headed out. Allen also stopped a Randi Soldat breakaway in front of the Lady Eagles goal in the 21st minute and Kendall Smith's kick in the 31st minute sailed over the crossbar.
Allen came out of intermission even more aggressive with the wind, but outstanding goal play by Graska and a strong, aggressive defensive effort by Rockwall held the Lady Eagles scoreless until 4:26 left in the game.
Allen scored its first goal of the second period off a cross by Kelsey Claxton and score by Kelsey Long.
The Lady Eagles closed out the scoring with .45 seconds remaining on an unassisted goal by Marissa Allen.
“The girls played great and played hard,” said Rockwall head coach Melissa Garcia. “This team is willing to give everything you ask of them. There's not one selfish player out there. It's like I told them, we went to the playoffs in a year when we rostered nine freshmen.”
Rockwall only loses seniors Mo Graska and Melody Kirsch and returns nine freshmen, three sophomores and four juniors for next year's campaign.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
Senior keeper Mo Graska hauls in this Allen kick on goal in Tuesday's Class 5A bi-district championship game at the RHS soccer complex. (Terry Cookston / Herald-Banner)