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Girls Soccer: River Ridge Beats Gators A 3rd Time

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A Tribune staff report

Published: January 24, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - In the first two meetings this season, River Ridge defeated Land O' Lakes 2-0 each time. But in those two games, Land O' Lakes coach Vicky King said, the Royal Knights dominated play.

River Ridge won again Friday night in the Class 5A-District 7 championship game at Ridgewood to claim its third consecutive district title. But this time it only was 1-0.

"We played well. That's the best we've played all year," King said. "We had our chances. They dominated a bit more during the regular season. We had more attacks during this game. I felt we played a much better game Friday night."

River Ridge (17-2) will host Bloomingdale in the region quarterfinals Thursday and Land O' Lakes (13-10) will travel to Newsome on Thursday. Newsome beat Bloomingdale 3-0 in the 5A-8 final.

Jessica Tata scored the only goal on a play where positioning was everything. In the 19th minute, Mikaela Morolla fired a shot from 30 yards out that hit the crossbar. The ball took a strange carom off the steel - right onto Tata's foot, and she fired past Gators goalkeeper Tara Marshall.

"Tara played well," King said. "It's unfortunate the ball came off the crossbar at a strange angle. It happens. You can't blame that on her. She saved us also."

Marshall finished with eight saves while River Ridge keeper Jessica Olin only was had to make two saves.

It was the third consecutive 1-0 Royal Knights win against Land O' Lakes in the district finals.

"We had opportunities. They had opportunities," River Ridge coach Skip Glover said. "We just got ours in. [Land O' Lakes played well, we played OK. Not our best match. I think it was nerves. We still have a lot of young ones on the team."

Rick Harmon

Hudson Outlasts Zephyrhills 2-1

HUDSON - After staying hot on the offensive end throughout the second half and overtime, Hudson senior Lindsay Zullo had no idea how cold it really was until after the celebrations had ended.

Zullo's 24th and 25th goals of the season were enough to lead the Cobras (21-2-1) to the Class 4A-District 8 title in a 2-1 double-overtime victory against Zephyrhills (16-7-1). By then she didn't mind the temperatures in the upper 30s.

"It's a lot warmer than our last games, I know that much," Zullo said. "It meant a lot to me. ... In the end, they kind of fell apart and we kept our cool."

Zullo's winner came in the 91st minute off a centering pass from Erica Wills that found Zullo's foot in the perfect spot, with Bulldogs goalkeeper Brittni Manautou out of position.

Playing with an extra striker, Zephyrhills took a 1-0 lead in the 46th minute on a goal from Brandi Mira.

But Zullo was fouled in the penalty box less than two minutes later, and made the ensuing penalty kick to tie the game and ultimately force overtime.

Bart O'Connell

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