It was the first match of Xavier Prep’s soccer season and coach Barb Chura said her players were “excited, nervous and anxious’’ entering the home contest against Glendale Mountain Ridge on Tuesday night (Nov. 30).
The Gators
put their feelings aside to score a 5-0 victory over the Mountain Lions, and
now some of that sentiment might return on Thursday night (Dec. 2) when XCP
travels to face Scottsdale Chaparral.
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Freshman Michal Cagungun (18) saw plenty of action in her first varsity match (Photos by Sr. Lynn Winsor). |
The reason?
It’s a rematch of last year’s Division I state championship title meeting won
by Xavier 2-0 to claim the 11th crown in the school’s history.
“We are
anticipating a tough match,’’ Chura
said.
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Xavier soccer players gather for a few words of inspiration before their match against Mountain Ridge. |
What would
be an efficient effort against Mountain Ridge began somewhat slowly, with the
Gators trying to gain their footing, particularly at the offensive end.
The clock
ran down to the 10:04 mark of the first half before Xavier was able to put the
ball in the net on a shot by senior defender Ansley Burns.
About 3 ½
minutes later, the Gators scored again on the first of two goals by junior forward
Larkin Thomason. She came through again, this time on a header, with only three
seconds left before the intermission.
Junior midfielder
Bella Leonard tallied the Gators’ fourth goal with 23:31 left in the contest,
and junior Collins Entz finished it off on her goal with just 15 seconds left
in the match.
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Collins Entz looks downfield for a teammate to receive the ball she will send. |
Sophomore
goalkeeper Kate Willmering and junior Sarah Castlen combined on the shutout.
The keepers have been working with Jaden Campbell, who starred in goal for the
Gators the last few seasons before graduating in 2021 and has volunteered to
pass along her knowledge.
Chura listed
a handful of Gators who stood out in the contest.
*Freshman forward/defender
Lainey Swanson. “She was one of the
best players out there for us, particularly in the first half,’’ Chura said.
*Sophomore defender
Talia Coury, productive with her
communication skills. “She does a good job of setting things up with her
voice,’’ Chura said.
*Senior midfielder
Hennessy Perez. Participation in
club ball has led to a great deal of improvement. “She has more confidence and
has become so much better than last year,’’ Chura said.
*Freshman
midfielder Ally Brown. She is the
sister of senior defender/midfielder Jayme
Brown, and slices through the defense with her quickness. She also excels
with her analytical skills. “She reads the game well and will only get
better,’’ Chura said.
*And you
can’t forget Bella Leonard. After a remarkable run in last
year’s state tournament, her star continues to rise and already has made her
college commitment to Notre Dame. “She plays at such a high level, it’s
amazing,’’ Chura said.
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