GIRLS' SOCCER: Cedar Crest draws with Manheim Central in home debut
The chances, they came early and often.
The goal, it never arrived.
The Cedar Crest girls' soccer team settled for a scoreless tie Saturday in its 2015 home debut, drawing with Manheim Central on a brilliant day at Earl Boltz Stadium. The Falcons (0-1-1) outshot the Barons, last year's top seed in the District Three Class AAA tournament, 15-6, but missed narrowly on quality chances from start to finish. Twenty-four hours following their season-opening loss at Cocalico, the Falcons hit the pitch again with a little less gas in the tank than usual, though the lack of fuel hardly showed until the extra sessions hit.
"I think we were a little affected by, at least in the overtimes, from playing yesterday. But that's just something you have to live with," Cedar Crest coach Jon Brubaker said. "I felt we created a ton of scoring chances and that's all you can ask for. We just need to put them in."
Speedy junior forward Ariel Jones misfired on both sides of the 31-minute mark, the first a rebound try from five yards away with Manheim Central keeper Kelly Kreider (11 saves) on the ground. Less than 10 minutes later, Kreider reeled in a rocket from Falcons forward Emma Moreland, her team's eighth shot of the day.
In the infancy of the second half, Cedar Crest senior CeCe Fiorentino spearheaded an unsuccessful 3-on-1 break, before getting grabbed by the turf monster while in the midst of a head-on look at goal inside the box.
Not long after, the Barons (0-0-1) began to take control, racking up six of their seven corner kicks in the second half thanks to personnel and position changes.
"We were changing things up," Manheim Central coach John Shetromph said. "You're always better after you play your first game. I like the way we played our second half."
When Cedar Crest's back line began to leak late along its flanks, senior defender Taylor Menser stepped in as a one-player dam. For Menser, an Lancaster-Lebanon League all-star last season, doesn't appear ready to give up that title just yet.
"Taylor Menser had a fantastic game. She's so fit and she's a smart player. She was able to cover for others," Brubaker said. "But all our backs play well. I thought they did a good job of absorbing Central's counterattacks."
Buoyed by a restful break between regulation and overtime, the Falcons found their footing again in the extra sessions. But tired, additional soccer yielded no more scoring than the lively first half, a fact Brubaker said doesn't overshadow his team's well-rounded performance.
"I can't be disappointed in the effort. The communication, the effort, everything was there," Brubaker said. "We just didn't put one in."
Cedar Crest 0, Manheim Central 0 (2OT)
M. Central0000 —0
C. Crest0000 —0
Shots on goal — CC 15, MC 6.
Corners — MC 8, CC 6.
Saves — MC 11, CC 5.