Streaks Battle Dragons To A Draw

LAKE PLACID - Maybe it was the fact that both teams were playing on consecutive nights.

Whatever the reason, neither Sebring or Lake Placid was able to muster much offense in Friday night's girls non-district soccer match at Roger Scarborough Memorial Field.

Sebring, which played down one player for most of the match due to an injury, managed six shots on goal, while battling to a scoreless, 0-0 tie with the Green Dragons.

"All things considered, we played pretty well," said Blue Streak coach Steve Ashley. "Lake Placid played well and with good effort, but neither one of us could finish.

"That's pretty much been the story for us the last couple of weeks - we get some pretty good looks, we just haven't been able to convert them into goals."

The tie gave the Class 4A Blue Streaks a 7-5-4 record heading into the Christmas break.

"We have a good team and haven't lost any matches the last couple of week's, but we'd rather be on the winning side," Ashley said.

The draw gave the Class 3A Green Dragons a 4-4-5 mark at the halfway point of the season.

"We played our best match of the season against Clewiston on Thursday night and then we didn't play to our potential tonight," said Lake Placid coach Elizabeth Sottile. "This was our third match of the week and I think the girls were a little tired.

"We also had early release from school, and for some reason, we never got into any kind of offensive rhythm."

Sebring's Maggie Celantano went down with an ankle injury in the opening minutes of the first half and the Blue Streaks, who had no other players suited up, were forced to play a girl down for the remainder of the match.

Lake Placid, which had eight shots on goal, took advantage by dominating play and had the first good scoring opportunity in the seventh minute.

Erica Resendiz was fouled and had a free kick that Sebring senior keeper Rebecca Secory smothered to keep the match scoreless.

"Rebecca is tremendous," Ashley said. "I've been spoiled for the last four years by having her in goal.

"She is a tremendous competitor and even the other coaches comment on how talented she is."

The Green Dragons continued to pepper the Blue Streak net, and Yuribia Terrones just missed a goal when her header sailed over the crossbar in the 15th minute.

In the second half, the Sebring offense put some pressure on the Green Dragon goal, but keeper Sydney Stewart kept the match scoreless with several outstanding saves.

Lake Placid had several opportunities in front of the Sebring goal in the closing minutes, but Secory was up to the task and the final seconds ticked off the clock with the teams tied.

"I don't know what was going on, because we had plenty of chances to score, we just couldn't finish," said Resendiz. "Three matches in a week is a lot, and I think we were a little tired.

"We passed the ball well, but we can do better."

The Green Dragons, who are back on the pitch on Jan. 7 against Port Charlotte, are hoping their best soccer is ahead of them.

"We have a lot of talent on this team, but we have to work on being more consistent," Sottile said. "We also need to continue working on our passing.

"We've seen what we can do when we stay focused and play as a team, we just have to maintain our intensity and play that way every match."

Sebring is back in action with an away match at Clewiston on Jan. 5, but the Christmas break should give its players time to heal and get rested for the remainder of the season.

"We know we can play with any of the teams in our district," Ashley said. "We should have everybody back healthy after the break and with the senior leadership we have, I think we'll be ready to go.

"The district is wide open and if we play as a team, we have a chance to make a run."