By Frank Rizzo
GRAHAMSVILLE — September 11, 2001 – Monticello won its second straight Tri-Valley Soccer Tournament on Saturday, while the host Lady Bears had their worst finish in the tournament’s 12 years.
The Panthers overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Chester 3-1 in the championship game.
In the consolation, Eldred scored three goals in the last 25 minutes to blank the hosts.
Monticello coach Kristi Dean said her charges were still tired and sore from a tough 1-0 league loss to Cornwall two days before.
“We woke up in the second half today,” Dean said minutes after her team posed with the championship trophy. “Chester was quick, and I told my girls they (Chester) were going to score on a fluke goal. I told them we had to come out strong in the second half.”
Monticello (2–1) had the better scoring chances in the first half, the best coming with about four minutes to go. Ashley Morse set up a nice crossing pass to Lisa Manz in front of the net, and her point-blank header went straight to goalie Kellie Lucina.
Earlier, Chester’s Tonya Hipsman had broken through the Monti defense and went in unchallenged at goalie Erin Shuart, only to misfire and blow a choice goal chance.
With 6:32 elapsed in the second half Chester got a break when one of its players was brought down in the Monticello penalty zone. Hipsman sent a low shot from the penalty kick spot into the corner to beat Shuart and give the Lady Hambletonians a 1-0 lead.
Six minutes later Monticello defender Sam Lynch got a chance to show off her booting skills when the Panthers were awarded a direct kick from 20 yards out.
Lynch sent a textbook-perfect blast over the Chester defensive wall and it dipped under the crossbar to equalize the game.
Panther forward Tiffany Washington, denied several times before, took advantage of an indirect kick by Lynch to beat the defense and then Lucina to give Monticello the lead with about 10 minutes remaining.
With 6:30 left Lynch scored again, this time with the help of a Chester defender, who misdirected her indirect kick past Lucina.
“We definitely had defensive breakdowns on those two last goals,” said Chester coach Brenda Winslow.
For her efforts Lynch was awarded the tourney’s Most Valuable Player trophy.
Late Goals Sink Bears
Aimee Schneider (14:35), Lindsey Giuffrida (25:21) and Charlene French (31:24) scored for the Yellow Jackets as they won the consolation game.
French’s was the most worthy of “highlight film” status, as she one-timed a corner kick by Ashley Schneider past Bear goalie Lauren Dilberian.
“They were talking and communicating better in the second half,” said Eldred coach Laura Schneider.
For much of the game, Schneider noted, “We had pushed and pushed and pushed, and nothing happened.
“I thought we had a stronger forward line than they did defensive line,” Schneider added.
A lot of that could be traced to Tri-Valley missing senior defender Jamie Kenney, away on a college trip.
“It’s tough to fill her shoes, she’s a strong defender,” said T-V coach Mary Feusner, whose teams won the first 10 tournaments before finishing second to Monticello in 2000.
Feusner noted that “I had to pull up some jayvee players for the tournament. Some of my varsity players don’t have enough practices to be eligible yet. They’ll be ready this week.”
Notes: Joining Lynch on the all tourney team were Kristye Ravella of Chester as “Miss Defense” and Chester’s Tonya Hipsman, Meagan Hipsman and Nicole Peluso; Tri-Valley’s Lis Lowe and Ellie Dymond; Eldred’s Aimee Schneider, Lindsay Giuffrida and Charlene French; and Monticello’s Erin Shuart, Kelly Bennett and Megan Shuart.