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Zwetsch Goal Lifts Plant Past Sickles 2-0

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By JARRETT GUTHRIE

Tribune correspondent

Published: January 17, 2009

TAMPA - For the second time in a week, Plant (16-1-1) senior captain Lexi Rakestraw perfectly placed a corner kick in front of Connor Zwetsch, and the junior forward sent in a header for the decider as the Panthers beat Sickles (8-4-1) 2-0 in girls prep soccer Friday.

As Rakestraw did Jan. 9 in a 2-1 win against Durant, the senior sent in a crisp corner to the middle of goal and a waiting Zwetsch was there for the pass, sending it to the back of the net before tumbling to the ground.

"That play is almost becoming a weekly thing," Panthers coach Stephen McGill said. "That's two this week they have hooked up on."

The first-half goal came on the Panthers' second shot on goal, while a tough Sickles team matched Plant in aggression but failed to capitalize on chances near its opponent's goal early.

The second half started quickly for the Panthers as Zwetsch took a ball around a defender and fired a shot across the goal to the far post. The shot was deflected by a diving Gryphons keeper Amanda Biondino, but went straight to Panthers forward Molly Ganther, who sent in an easy goal in the 44th minute.

The win was Plant's sixth straight since tying Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons and 13th straight game without a loss.

Senior night at Plant's Dad's Stadium saw all four of the Panthers graduating class step up in the win. Rakestraw added her seventh assist on the year (fourth in the last three matches) on the team's first goal, while fullbacks Arielle Pask and Megan Fate led a hard-playing defense.

"We've been playing together a really long time," Pask said. "We all really stepped it up tonight because we wanted to win for each other."

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