JMS girls finish 3rd in ACAAs

By rscaife
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Updated: October 18, 2014

BELLEFONTE – After losing a tough 2-1 decision the day before, the Juniata Mennonite girls’ soccer team came back with a vengence in the third place game of the Allegheny Christian Athletic Association playoffs held at Centre County Christian Academy.

It wasn’t an easy win as Great Commission got an extraordinary performance by goalkeeper Sara Clark.

However, in a matter of three minutes in the second half, the Lions broke through what seemed like an impenetrable back-line and goal for three unanswered goals.

From there, Juniata Mennonite added two more insurance goals in the later minutes, giving them a 5-0 shut out win and the 3^rd place title.

“They played very well. Sara played very well against us in goal but we just kept up the pressure and were relentless,” JMS Coach Todd Taylor said. “We played really strong today. We held them on a couple of counters. Our midfield played well too. They kept the pressure up in their end.”

After a strong start in the first half, the Lions started with the same intensity to start off the second half as well.

However, so did their adversary in goal, Clark, who also started with the same motivation she had in the first.

Clark, who finished with a game high 20 saves, came out and continued to send Juniata Mennonite back empty handed.

Numerous shots came and went at the Great Commission goal but nothing could crack the line. But after four second half corner kicks by the Lions, Juniata got its first chance to crack the scoreboard.

Alicia Glick alertly picked up a rebound that shot off the hands of Clark and then sent it home at the corner of the net, giving the Lions the 1-0 lead with 25:20 left in the game.

Before the Great Commission defense knew what hit them, Juniata Mennonite struck again.

Alexis Hahn-Kline hit her first of two goals in the game, minutes later as she got a corner kick from Valarie Meiser to up the score to 2-0 with 23:48.

With the seam wide open one minute later, Hahn-Kline extended the once close game to 3-0 when she blasted a shot that brought the Lions one step closer to their goal.

As the game clock wound down, Anna Taylor blasted a mid –range shot just over the finger tips of Clark, making it 4-0 with 17:54 left.

Finally, Juniata Mennonite finished the scoring as Glick book-marked the victory with her second goal as the celebration began to brew on the Juniata Mennonite bench.

From there, the benches were cleared and all players on the young Lions’ squad were able to get some valuable playing time.

Overall, Juniata Mennonite outshot Great Commission 35-5 and had a huge advantage in corner opportunities by a 12-0 finish.

“I think we felt all year that we played well enough to finish here. You never know whats going to happen here. Yesterday we played a great game and I told them today that this is your last game and they were ready.”