JMS girls end their season with loss at ACAAs

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: October 21, 2018

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – They left everything on the field.

The season came to an end Saturday for the Juniata Mennonite girls soccer team as it fell to Blair County Christian 2-1 in the consolation game in ACAA soccer tournament held at Centre County Christian in Bellefonte.

A second half goal by Blair County early on proved to be a game winner for the team.

“They played an incredible game. It’s been a great year,”Juniata Mennonite coach Todd Taylor said.”These Girls never give up. They play every game to the end. You have to give Blair credit, they played a great game. They had a good strategy against us. We had trouble breaking their defense. They were able to score a couple, just enough to win.”

JMS outshot Blair County 12-9 and held the advantage on corner opportunities by a 7-1 margin.

The Lions’ goalie Rachel Delancey was tough in goal as she stopped six while Blair County goalkeeper Meredith Dull had eight.

It would be an awkward bounce that would prove to be the game winner.

With the game tied at one in the second half, a blooping Blair County had Delancey come out to catch the ball on a bounce but the ball took an awkward high hop and went over the head of the goalie and behind her into the area of a waiting Keirsten Hileman who was at the goal. Hileman sent it home, giving them a 2-1 advantage with 22:05 left.

Thing could have gotten worse for the Lions as the team found itself in a penalty kick situation.

But Delancey made a diving save to keep her team within striking distance.

But the Blair County defense doubled down and crowded the defensive end and refused to allow any late penetration to hold off any late offensive blitz by Juniata Mennonite.

In the first half, things started out well for Juniata Mennonite as scored first as Autumn Martin picked up a pass from a corner from Anna Taylor, making it 1-0 at 23:26.

However, minutes later Madison Snyder, scores on an-unassisted goal 16:52, tying things up and sending the game into the intermission tied.