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Panthers, Wildcats Advance At Invitational

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By NICHOLAS MURRAY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2008

TAMPA Plant and Wharton got off to a winning start to the season as both sides recorded 4-0 wins at the Lady Wildcat Soccer Invitational at Wharton High on Monday night.

Incoming transfers from Tampa Prep Courtney and Connor Zwetsch both started for the Panthers, but it was returning senior Ellen Moore who scored twice to lead the Panthers in an impressive performance against King.

Connor Zwetsch started the move that allowed Plant to take the lead in the sixth minute, as her pass found Stacy Heitlinger on the left wing. Heitlinger's cross found Moore at the top of the six-yard box, and she fired a shot home.

Moore doubled the Panthers lead in the 26th minute, as she split the Lions defense with a great first touch, and guided the ball low into the right corner of the net.

Moore said the team was able to find cohesiveness quickly thanks to the time the Panthers had spent on the field for both school and club.

"A lot of these girls play for our club at RSL [Florida], so we're used to playing with each other," Moore said. "It was really nice to be out there and be smooth."

King showed some nice touches, but their lack of movement off the ball left them struggling to build attacks with any consistency. Lions coach Don Rooks said the Lions, who are shorthanded due to players still playing fall sports, said the tournament was good competition and effectively a replacement for practice scrimmages.

"Instead of practicing, we're playing games," Rooks said. "We don't have enough to scrimmage against, so instead of scrimmaging, we're playing games against good competition."

Connor Zwetsch scored the Panthers' third goal in the 56th minute, and Molly Ganther added a fourth five minutes later. Panthers coach Steve McGill was pleased with outside midfielders Heitlinger and Andrea Smith, who gave the Panthers excellent attacking options down both flanks, and the scoring potential his line-up showed.

"We've always had a good defense," McGill said. "I feel so comfortable with our midfielders that I can move [Moore] as a weapon up top, and then you add Connor up there as well, we can actually attack and defend this year."

Host Wharton got goals from four different players in its win against Riverview. Center back Allison Meyer opened the scoring with a roofed shot off a corner in the ninth minute, and Emily Rodriguez added a second in the 21st after Sharks goalkeeper Kasey Pitt mishandled a Melina Duffy cross.

Kate Demick found the net in the second half after a nice pass from Melissa Adams, and Adams finished the scoring in the 60th minute with a curling shot into the top left corner of the net.

"We had good movement off the ball, and very unselfish play," Wharton coach Denis Vukorep said. "Everyone was knocking it around, it wasn't a lot of long-balls, just good combination play which we were kind of happy about."

Riverview had some good moments, but their inability to maintain possession, or win the ball in 50-50 challenges left them chasing the game.

"We have a lot of stuff to work on," Sharks coach Katie Reed said. "We definitely watched a little bit more than I was planning on."

The tournament continues today as Alonso faces Durant at 6 p.m., with Newsome playing Sickles at 8 p.m.

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