Bruin Girls Leave It On the Field, but Come Up Short at the Final Whistle

November 7, 2024

Sophomore forward, Ellie Hanneman, #11, fighting for control at midfield.

After earning a first round bye, the #7 OSAA ranked Bruin girls soccer team held their second round playoff game against the #10 OSAA ranked Blanchet Catholic team that made the trip from Salem to the coast for Wednesday afternoons match up.

Senior mid-fielder, Jaiden Babb, #9, working the ball into the middle.

The weather was perfect for Wednesday afternoon’s 2:00pm kick-off, and both teams quickly settled into their ball control offenses to gain control of ball possession and field position.

#23, Kaiya Evans, controlling the ball down the sideline.

Both teams worked themselves into scoring opportunities early in first half play with both teams getting in position with quality shots testing each others defenses.

But it would be Blanchet Catholic that get on the board first, after placing a corner kick in front of the Bruin girls goal that would find the back of the net after Bruin girls keeper made an initial save, and the Lady Cavaliers capitalized on the loose ball rebound to take a 0-1 lead 15 minutes into the first half.

Freshman defender, Ella Christensen, #14, challenging the Blanchet Catholic attack.

But the Bruin girls would waste no time responding, forcing the ball deep into the Blanchet Catholic defensive half after pushing the ball down the left sideline.

Senior forward, getting down the outside, would get the ball into the middle for an assist on the Bruin girls only goal.

Senior forward, #10 Amelia Bruce would fight her way down the outside and push a ball into the center that would find the foot of freshman Sawyer Adams who took the shot from the top of the penalty box and buried in the net behind the Lady Cavaliers keeper to answer just minutes after Blanchet Catholic took the lead.

Freshman forward, Sawyer Adams, #12, lining up the shot that would tie the game in the first half.

Tied 1-1 at the half, the second half started just where it left off at the break, with both teams battling for possession and control of the midfield.

Senior Lauren Pieper, #24, clearing the Lady Cavaliers attack.

It wouldn’t be until an early collision in front of the Bruin girls goal that injured the Bruin keeper, that the Lady Cavaliers would find their next scoring opportunity at the top of penalty after a Bruin girls foul would award Blanchet Catholic a direct free kick that would find the back of the net.

Junior defender, Lexi Newman, #8, starting the offense from the backfield.

Now with a 1-2 lead, Blanchet Catholic dropped into a defensive mode to keep the Bruin girls from countering pushing away Bruin girl attacks and not allowing open shots at the goal.

The Bruin girls offense managed some quality shots on the Lady Cavaliers goal, however, pressure on those shots forced them off the mark, and scoring opportunities would run out as the clock ran down and the Bruin girls post season came to an end.