By Staff
STOP RIGHT THERE Meridian's Raven Williams (24) guards Brandon's Robin Emfinger (23) during a rain-hindered girls soccer match at the Jaycees Complex Tuesday night. Photo by Carisa McCain/The Meridian Star
By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Dec. 4, 2002
The drought didn't end, but Meridian High gave Brandon all it could handle at the Jaycees Soccer Complex on Tuesday night.
Coming into the season, Brandon has beaten the Wildcats for 10 straight years. The result didn't change, but the margin did as Meridian fought even with the Bulldogs for most of the night. Brandon finally pulled away with two goals late in the second half to take a 2-0 victory.
In the girls' game, Brandon jumped out to an early first-half lead and held on for a 3-0 victory over the Lady Wildcats.
In the boys' game, the two teams were unable to come up with good opportunities in the first half. Brandon finally came up with a good scoring chance midway through the half. Adam Mayfield found some space, but his close-range shot was saved by Meridian keeper Chris Kitchens.
Meridian made some runs in the half, but came up with only a few chances. One of the best opportunities came when Andrew Gambrell found some space, but couldn't get a good shot off.
The game was scoreless at the half, but Brandon came out in the second half and put together some runs.
Jake Benda had a shot go wide left early in the half. Then Hunter Hood broke free after beating a defender and missed a shot wide right.
Meridian put together a chance when Florian Werner crossed the ball to Peter Davidson, but Davidson was unable to get off a good shot and the game remained scoreless.
Brandon responded with a chance. Clark Mitchell passed to Nathan Day, who hit Kevin Murriel with a nice pass. The shot went just wide and the Bulldogs missed another opportunity.
Late in the second half the Bulldogs finally broke the scoreless tie. The ball bounced loose in the Meridian box and a defender tried to clear it, but it hit a body and stayed in. Mitchell finally put the ball into the back of the net to give Brandon a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later the Bulldogs struck again. The ball popped free for Benda and he blasted it home into the left side of the goal to make the score 2-0.
The Bulldogs controlled the ball well in the final minutes and the Wildcats were unable to make a comeback.
The loss drops Meridian to 4-4 on the season and 0-2 in division play. The Wildcats will be in action against Clarkdale at Jaycee Soccer Complex on Friday.
Brandon girls 3
Meridian 0
The Lady Bulldogs jumped out to a three-goal lead in the first half and held on to beat Meridian 3-0 in girls' action.
Perryn Tyler scored two goals to lead Brandon to the victory on a wet and cold field.
The first goal of the game came off of the foot of Megan Storm. She broke free on a breakaway and shot the ball into the right side of the goal to make the score 1-0.
Later in the half, Storm passed to Tyler, who outran the nearest defender to break loose with a one-on-one opportunity. She dribbled by the charging keeper and put the ball away to make the score 2-0.
Minutes later Tyler broke free again and beat the keeper to make the score 3-0 at the half.
The Lady Bulldogs threatened in the second half, but the Meridian defense kept them from scoring again.
Meridian's best opportunity of the game came when Kortney Harris hit Leanna Baldner with a pass on the left side of the field. The shot by Baldner went wide right and the scored remained 3-0.
The Lady Wildcats drop to 6-2 and 1-1 in division play with the loss.