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Mustangs clinch HAC-I title

Midd-West avenges lone loss of year

Sentinel photo by TIM SHUMAKER
Midd-West’s Kelli Beiler (21) tangles with Shikellamy’s Hannah Persing for the ball during their Heartland Conference girls soccer game Thursday in Middleburg.

MIDDLEBURG — Midd-West was able to avenge its only loss of the season, winning a 2-1 showdown with Shikellamy and its second straight Heartland Conference Division I girls soccer title Thursday at Sports Boosters Park.

“It’s just exciting for our program to repeat back-to-back league titles,” Mustangs coach Lance Burris said. “We played an extremely tough schedule so when we had our little hiccup against them the first game of the year we were definitely looking forward to playing them again.”

The Mustangs showed a thirst for vengeance right from the opening whistle as Kelli Beiler made a quick run toward the Braves’ net.

Midd-West had control of the tempo for most of the first half. In the first five minutes the Mustangs drew three corner kicks, and two more in the next five minutes, but were unable to capitalize.

Eventually Shikellamy gave way to the pressure as Reagan Hornberger found an open Beiler who blasted one right by Braves’ goalkeeper Riley Barrett with 32:39 left in the frame.

The Mustangs struck again about a minute later as Rachel Teats sent the ball sailing toward the net and it bounced off a Shikellamy defender and into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead.

Late in the half the Mustangs looked to extend their lead further as Barrett came under heavy fire from Beiler and Alyssa Keister. Erin Tompkins then had a shot blocked.

Beiler look for another shot, which bounced off the crossbar. That ball went right back to Tompkins who fired another one; it, too, sailed over the net leaving Midd-West with its 2-0 lead at the break.

“I thought we were phenomenal in the first half,” Burris said. “We won the 50-50 battle. We’ve always struggled in the midfield against them so I thought today we did a really good job of that in the first half.”

Shikellamy came out in the second half a completely different team taking its turn being the aggressor. But the Midd-West defense not only was able to hold the Braves off, but the Mustangs were able to use turn that defense into offense, creating more chances to score.

Keister sent one flying toward the net only to hit the post. It landed next to Arianna Rich, who took a shot but missed wide.

With 1:30 remaining in the game the Braves’ Eryn Swanger finally got one past Midd-West keeper Carli Marshall. That was as close as Shikellamy got.

“In the second half we just kind of sat in a little bit, maybe played a little bit too timid with a two-goal lead,” Burris said. “I think we hit a few posts, we miss that breakaway, stuff like that goes our way and that a lot different ball game in the second half. I feel like they definitely had some momentum but, the girls were just kind of sitting and holding onto the win.”

Midd-West finishes the regular season at 17-1, 11-1 in the conference, and will be the top seed in the District 4 Class 2A tournament.

“We just need to play 80 minutes, “ Burris said. “If we can play 80 minutes like we played our first forty tonight, no one will touch us.”

Midd-West 2, Shikellamy 1

First half

MW– Kelli Beiler (Reagan Hornberger), 32:39; MW– Rachel Teats, 31:44

Second half

S– Eryn Swanger, 1:30

Shots: MW 10-3. Corners: MW 12-2. Saves: MW-2 (Carli Marshall), S-3 (Riley Barrett)

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