Leopards survive scare from rival Rams

By JEREMY SELLEW

jsellew@yourmvi.com

After Monday’s Belle Vernon Area and Ringgold girls soccer game, Leopards head coach Tracy Lovett had a simple question for Rams head coach Olivia Wilkerson.

“How did Trinity score eight goals on you?” Lovett asked.

As the pair laughed, Lovett was dead serious.

The young Rams gave the Leopards all they could handle early on and carried a 1-0 lead into the half before succumbing to the BVA pressure and falling 2-1 in a Section 2-3A battle at James Weir Stadium.

Jillian Butchki scored the equalizer with 31 minutes to go in the second half then Morgan Einodshofer picked up the gamewinner just over two minutes later as the Leopards (3-1, 2-1) escaped their rivals.

“That was a dog fight,” Lovett said. “We knew they were going to come out hard against us and they gave us all we could handle. That’s not the same team we played last year. They’re very well coached.”

Through the first 20 minutes of the game, Ringgold dominated play and their pressure paid off when Katelyn Ferrence swooped in and gathered a lose ball 40 yards out and beat BVA keeper Grace Henderson with a hard shot to give her team the early lead.

“I think there was a little indecision there on Grace’s part and it led to that goal,” Lovett said. “I think she thought the defense was going to get there but that girl was so fast. Grace didn’t come out to clear it and she got beat.

“She almost did it again in the second half but our defense was there to clear it that time.”

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