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Shawnee slips out with hard-fought win over Bulldogs
Comments 0 | Recommend 0SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP- Sometimes the statistics don't tell the entire story.
Case in point: the Elida-Shawnee girls soccer match.
In Tuesday's Western Buckeye League showdown at Shawnee, the Bulldogs outshot the Indians, 12-5.
However, it was the final score that proved to be the most vital statistic as Shawnee slipped past Elida for an exciting 2-1 victory.
With 53 seconds remaining to play, the Bulldogs were called for a hand ball in the box. Shawnee's Andia Shisler stepped up and connected on the penalty kick to put the Indians ahead.
That was all Shawnee (3-1) needed.
Shawnee coach Caroline O'Brien said she knew Elida (1-3) would be tough to defend, since the Bulldogs possessed such a strong front line.
"We knew (Elida's) Erin Thomas and Shelby Troyer would get their share of shots," O'Brien said. "Troyer can rip it from 25-yards out. We knew we had to contain those two."
O'Brien said it was nice to see her team battle back, despite getting outshot by Elida.
"I was pleased at the effort of our kids," O'Brien said. "And it was nice to see our senior captain (Shisler) get that PK at the end to win the game."
For the game, Thomas had eight shots on goal (one goal), while Troyer kicked three shots on Shawnee goalkeeper Ashley Brachok (nine saves).
Elida assistant coach Brady Overholt was the acting head coach in place of Matt Albright, who was out of town.
"We had a lot of shots," Overholt said. "We just have to be able to find the net. At the end there, we were playing three defenders. ... trying to push to score. They (Shawnee) got out on a fastbreak and we got caught up a little bit."
Elida scored its goal at the 12:30 mark of the first half. Thomas got loose on a breakaway and shot the ball past Brachok for Elida's only goal of the game.
Shawnee answered with 3:54 left in the half on a goal by Lauren Diglia, knotting the game at 1.
In the first half, Elida took seven shots on goal, compared to Shawnee's three. In the second half, Elida outshot the Indians 5-2.
O'Brien said playing Elida is never an easy task.
"It's always a good game when Shawnee plays Elida," O'Brien said. "And I'm sure there's a good chance we'll see them again in the tournament."
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