Secory's Saves Not Enough For Sebring To Stop Strong Tiger Squad

SEBRING - Sebring coach Steve Ashley said the driving rain that soaked Firemen's Field in the first half of the Blue Streak girls soccer team's meeting with Palmetto on Thursday night didn't have much of an effect on the game.

Junior Molly Blackman, on the other hand, gleefully disagreed.
"It made it a lot more fun," Blackman said. "I think everyone enjoyed it."

After 80 minutes of slipping, sliding and defensive stalemate, it was the Tigers who likely enjoyed the evening a bit more after getting an early goal from sophomore Marisol Valence en route to a 1-0 victory over the Streaks in Class 4A-District 10 action.

"It's been a few years since we've played in conditions like this," said Palmetto coach Art Weaver. "It makes it interesting with how the ball moves."

Tracking the wet, skipping ball all night was Sebring keeper Rebecca Secory, whose 17 saves kept Sebring in the match and allowed them several legitimate chances for the equalizer at the end. Secory faced four point-blank shots on goal in the first 20 rain-soaked minutes, charging out of the box on three occasions to disrupt the Tiger forwards and force them to fire wide.

Ashley said that's just the kind of play he expects from the senior he calls "the best keeper in the district."

"Becca makes a decision and she sticks with it," Ashley said. "She ranges well and she's always talking to her defense and midfielders. It gives everyone confidence knowing she's back there."

Palmetto's lone goal came in the 21st minute, when, after Secory turned away yet another point-blank shot on goal, Valence was in just the right place to put the rebound in from 10 yards out. From then on, both teams' defense stepped up, and scoring chances became few and far between.

That is until the last moments of the game, when, after an injured Palmetto player was removed from the field in the 76th minute, Sebring (4-4-2 overall, 3-3 district) picked up the intensity and nearly pushed the game into overtime.

"We were pressing hard and trying to get a goal," said Sebring senior Jodi-Ann Leichman. "But [Palmetto] passed the ball well. They knew what they were doing."

Ashley said he was pleased with his team's play in defeat, noting they've stepped up their play in the last two weeks and are coming together as a unit. He said he told his team they could've laid down at the end of both halves, but they proved a lot by picking up their games.

"The only thing we couldn't do is put the ball in the net ourselves," Ashley said. "But hey, I can't be displeased. I'm proud of the way we played tonight against a strong team.

"These girls are picking up that confidence each match we play, and they know they're just as good as any team they step on the field with. We've been playing much better the past two weeks as far as team play, and it's showing."

Thursday's game was the Streaks last home game until January. They play just once next week, when they travel to Braden River.

"They beat us pretty bad last time," Ashley said. "But I don't think we came ready to play that night. If we come out like we did tonight, we should be fine."