By Rob Potter
MONTICELLO — October 19, 2001 – There was good news and bad news for the Monticello Lady Panther soccer team last Friday afternoon.
The good news was that Monticello (8-4-2, 0-3-2) held visiting Cornwall to only one goal in the OCIAA Division III match.
The bad news was that none of the Lady Panthers could send a shot past Cornwall goalie Danielle Stroppel.
All of which resulted in a 1-0 win for Cornwall (10-2, 4-1 Division III).
Amanda Hertel scored the only goal of the contest unassisted at seven-and-a-half minutes into the second half. Cornwall moved the ball near the Monticello goal when Hertel gained control of the ball a few yards in front of the net. She then sent a high shot into the corner of the net past Monticello goalkeeper Shannon Dietrich.
“It was a good shot,” Monticello coach Kristi Dean said of Hertel’s goal. “It was a nice shot that went in.”
Despite their best efforts, the Lady Panthers could not score the tying goal over the next 30-plus minutes. Perhaps Monticello’s best chance to knot the game came when midfielder Jenna Diaco dribbled the ball into the Cornwall end of the field with about eight minutes remaining.
From about 15 yards out, Diaco sent a shot towards the net. But, much to the chagrin of the Monticello players and fans, the ball rolled just wide of the far post and out of bounds.
Despite the loss, Dean was very pleased with the way her squad played the match.
“We played up to their level today,” she said. “We played great and I have no complaints whatsoever about the way we played. We just needed to get the ball in the net.”
Dietrich made 11 saves on the afternoon, while Stroppel had six saves. Monticello held an advantage in corner kicks and outshot Cornwall, 11-10.
“Both games we have played against Monticello this season have been 1-0 games,” Cornwall coach Rick Miller said. “And both were well-played.”