Girls soccer: Plant edges Bloomingdale

VALRICO - Bloomingdale has spent years facing its toughest district competition in the form of Newsome, but a move in class and district this season left the Bulls with a hole to fill. Thursday night that hole was filled by new 6A-8 rival Plant.

The first meeting between Plant and Bloomingdale as district opponents didn't disappoint, with both teams matching up well. The Panthers got the better of the chances in the match and were able to capitalize late with a Connor Zwetsch goal to take a 1-0 win.

The first half saw much of the play take place in the midfield. The Bulls did a good job neutralizing the Panthers attack and marking Plant's weapons up top. Plant had an advantage in possession in the first half but weren't able to finish anything with its forwards.

"In the first half I though we had three or four good chances where we had the ball ad midfield with the forwards running through and we passed it to the fullback," Panthers coach Stephen McGill said. "I think early we didn't take the time to make a quality ball."

Bloomingdale head coach Sue Peet said the Bulls focus wasn't on any one player, but in trying to keep the ball away from scoring chances for the Panthers. The Bulls midfield and defense did an effective job early containing Zwetsch in the midfield and the Panthers forwards, including solid play from senior midfielder Nikki Peet and defender Meghan Lanteigne.

"We had so many people to focus on," coach Peet said of Plant. "Which one of the Plant players do you focus on?"

In the second half, the Panthers seemed to make better passes and tighten up a little, but the Bulls defense, consisting of three new starters, held Plant in check.

"They play very compact and don't allow a whole lot of space between the fullbacks and the forwards," McGill said of the Bulls defense. "It was a struggle all game long because there were so many girls in the mid."

After the second half water break Plant's chances started to look a little better with a Kaitlyn Steckel chance with the Bulls keeper down, that went wide. Then in the 69th minute, junior midfielder Connor Zwetsch took a pass from Abby Meckley and sent the ball with a chip shot into the back of the net over Bulls keeper Melissa Jasczak from about 10 yards.

The Bulls had some late chances as well, but weren't able to strike. Right after Zwetsch's goal, a rare letdown by the Panthers allowed a strong kick across midfield, followed by a cross which found Bulls senior Jordan Johnson one-on-one with Plant keeper Lauryn Bodden. Johnson's attempt, though, was too strong, sending the shot high over the cross bar.

Bodden smothered the Bulls only other real shot late in the game on a scramble in the box and an attempt from Sierra Siegel.

PLANT 1, BLOOMINGDALE 0

Plant 0-1 1
Bloomingdale 0-0 0
Goals- Zwetsch (P). Shots on goal- P 7, B 4. Assists- Meckley (P). Saves- Bodden (P) 2; Jasczak (B) 3; Records- P 4-1; B 3-1.