Girls soccer roundup: Steinbrenner breaks through

The Steinbrenner High girls soccer team's defense allowed only eight goals all season, so it was a surprise the Warriors were trailing Thursday by one goal midway through the first half.

Steinbrenner coach Teresa Patterson tried to keep everything focused, and it paid off with a 4-2 win against Osceola in the Class 4A-Region 3 quarterfinals. The Warriors advance to play Bradenton Lakewood Ranch in the semifinals.

"We knew we had to stay calm,'' Patterson said. "We knew if we kept our composure it would work out for us.''

Alexis Bredeau scored two goals to lead Steinbrenner and said the team could have done more if it hadn't missed many chances in the second half.

"We had so many scoring chances,'' Bredeau said. "It was tough in the first half because we don't give up a lot of goals, but we hung in and kept working.''

Steinbrenner (17-2-2) got off to a quick start when it scored on an Osceola own goal to make it 1-0. Bredeau was credited with the goal.

Osceola (12-6-1) came back quickly. Samantha Pifer tied it at the 10-minute mark on a breakaway, and she scored again 10 minutes later.

Morgan Melatti's tip-in tied it entering the half. Bredeau and Danielle Eule had second-half goals for the Warriors.

Jeff Berlinicke

4A-3: Strawb. Crest falls

Strawberry Crest's season ended when Lakewood Ranch defeated the Chargers, 8-0, in the Class 4A-Region 3 quarterfinals.

Lakewood Ranch (18-1-2) took a 7-0 lead into halftime. The Chargers (7-9), who did not have a shot on goal, are in their second season.

Sarah Miller scored three goals for Lakewood Ranch.

Strawberry Crest goalkeeper Caitlin Smith saved 10 shots.

Nick Walter

4A-2: Wiregrass wins

Wiregrass Ranch coach Erin Dodd admitted her team sometimes falls asleep around mandatory water breaks.

Against Gulf on Thursday in the Class 4A-Region 2 quarterfinals, Dodd watched the Buccaneers' Dani Schulman blast a shot off the crossbar seconds after play had resumed.

That shot seemed to wake up the Bulls as they scored two goals in the next 8 minutes to down Gulf, 2-0, and advance to the semifinals.

Wiregrass Ranch (22-2-2) will host District 8 rival River Ridge for the fourth time this season.

"We seem to fall asleep before water breaks," Dodd said. "We have to figure out a way not to let our guard down early and make sure we're pushing forward the whole time."

On the next possession, Berlin Waters scored the first goal on a perfect pass from A.J. Blount. Five minutes later, Blount scored on a pass from Anne Cypriano.

Rick Harmon

4A-2: River Ridge escapes

After 80 minutes of regulation and 20 in overtime, River Ridge and Mitchell needed a shootout to decide their regional quarterfinal. In a thrilling back-and-forth shootout, River Ridge prevailed, 3-2, for the 1-0 win.

The Mustangs (20-3-1) outshot River Ridge,14-8, but junior keeper Lisa Jadick had the game of her young career, notching 11 saves.

Mitchell went first as Nicole Misener put away her shot, but then the county's leading scorer with 44 goals, Jenny Karl, was denied by keeper Erica Disbrow. Jadick then made three remarkable saves on Danielle Misener, Danielle Gottwik and Shannon Estes-Larkin, respectively. River Ridge (21-3-2) then got back-to-back goals from Jessica Tata and Kendra Secrest, but Laura Cason's shot hit the right post.

The miss allowed Mitchell's leading scorer, Arielle Anahory, to tie it at 2. Sarah Olin buried her shot into the right corner to advance River Ridge.

Mike Camunas

2A-3: Tampa Prep holds on

Tampa Prep didn't shoot the lights out against Shorecrest Prep, but they did what was needed to secure a 1-0 victory and advance to the Class 2A-Region 3 semifinals.

The Terrapins (17-5-2) will travel to Bradenton St. Stephens on Tuesday.

"I don't think we played poorly tonight," Tampa Prep coach Cindy Schofield said. "We really knocked the ball around. We kept possession really well. It's just that final third. It was being patient, waiting for the gaps to open up."

Colby Maffei broke the scoreless tie in the 55th minute. Charging from the right side of the goal, Maffei arched a shot into the far left corner for her 40th goal of the season.

Eddie Daniels

2A-3: B. McLaughlin loses

Bishop McLaughlin has never won a district championship and was playing in the region tournament for the second time.

Bradenton St. Stephen's has won five consecutive district titles.

The Hurricanes held their own for the first 40 minutes but couldn't hold off the Falcons in the second half and dropped a 6-2 decision.

St. Stephen's (18-3) got a hat trick from Alyssa Allen to take a 3-0 lead. The Hurricanes (12-5-1) cut the lead to 3-1 on a penalty kick by Corrie Bexley in the 54th minute.

But two goals by Martine Miller in a 51-second span put the game out of reach.

Rick Harmon