Girls soccer notes: Sidney falls 2-0 to Tippecanoe in key MVL game

0

TIPP CITY — Sidney’s goal of a Miami Valley League title was likely derailed on Monday. But the squad is hoping the experience can help in postseason play.

Tippecanoe scored two early goals, and Sidney couldn’t recover in a 2-0 loss at Tipp City Park. The victory clinched the Red Devils (13-2-0, 8-0 MVL) at least a share of the overall MVL title.

Chelsea Dettwiller scored Tippecanoe’s first goal on an assist from Makenzie Chinn, then Maddie Moran scored a goal off an assist from Megan Landis shortly after.

Both goals came within the first 20 minutes of the first half.

“The girl (on the first goal) looked like she was offsides,” Sidney coach Kevin Veroneau said. “I usually don’t put things on the officials, but she looked like she was several yards behind our player. We’ll have to wait until we see the video.

“But to give up that early goal put us in a hole, and then the second goal, we had scouted them and knew (Moran) up top had speed and that they liked to play the ball over the top to exploit her speed. We did not have pressure on her, let her release freely, and she beat one of my center backs.”

The Yellow Jackets had several shots before the end of the game but were stymied by the Red Devils — though Veroneau said one shot may have gotten across the line when several Sidney and Tippecanoe players were battling near the goal.

“Getting down 2-0 was tough, but the girls fought back. They thought the one down there went in, and (the officials) didn’t see it,” Veroneau said. “Once again, we won’t know until we see the video. We’ll see. Most of the time, the girls are right. It’s amazing; they’ll say something happens, and the video shows they’re right.”

“That makes it tough. If the one goal was offsides and (our goal) did go in, that makes it a 1-1 game.”

There’s still a chance Sidney could tie Tipp for the overall MVL title, as both have one league game remaining. The Yellow Jackets are scheduled to travel to Greenville (3-11-1) on Wednesday while the Red Devils are scheduled to travel to Vandalia-Butler (11-3). Should Sidney win and Tipp lose on Wednesday, the two teams would tie for the overall title.

Regardless of the outcome, Veroneau said he hopes it was another learning opportunity heading into postseason play.

Tipp was the third of three strong opponents Sidney faced in a week’s time. The Yellow Jackets tied Beavercreek (9-4-2) 2-2 in a nonconference game on the road last Monday and lost 4-0 on the road on Saturday to Perrysburg (11-0-5), which was ranked No. 15 in D-I in the latest Ohio Soccer Coaches Association state poll.

“We have to be more disciplined in how we play,” Veroneau said. “A lot of times, the girls lose that focus, and then they make decisions without thinking about what the game plan is, and we put the balls in to bad numbers.

“There were several times (against Tipp) where the ball was placed to a player that was in a 1 vs. 3 when we had 1 vs. 1 out in the flanks. We talked about exploiting the flanks. I just don’t think we did a good enough job finding those 1 vs. 1s.”

Tournament draw meetings were held Sunday. Sidney (9-3-2, 7-1 MVL), which secured the MVL Valley Division title in late September, was voted the No. 5 seed in the in the 18-team Dayton Division I sectional.

The Yellow Jackets will host No. 9 Bellbrook (5-7-2) in a sectional semifinal on Oct. 18 and if victorious will host Clayton Northmont (7-7-1) in a sectional final on Oct. 22.

If Sidney would win the second-round matchup against the Thunderbolts, it would advance to a district semifinal on Oct. 25 at Centerville High School, likely against No. 2 Springboro (13-1-2).

Sidney advanced to a district semifinal in 2019 but has lost in first-round matches each of the last two years, including in a 13-2-2 campaign in 2020.

The squad’s nonconference schedule was loaded this season. Aside from Perrysburg and Beavercreek, the squad faced Dublin Coffman and Greater Western Ohio Conference members Springboro and Miamisburg, all of whom have 10 or more wins.

“Those games are on the schedule for a purpose, to get us ready for the tournament and to help us improve,” Veroneau said. “We’ve got a young team. We’ve already made some changes to the schedule for next year to strengthen it more.”

Lehman to battle with TRC foes in tournament play

Lehman Catholic will potentially see both Three Rivers Conference foes in tournament matches it has been battling with in regular season: Tipp City Bethel and Miami East.

The Cavaliers (8-5-1) were voted the No. 4 seed in the 27-team Dayton D-III sectional and will start postseason play by hosting a sectional final on Oct. 22, likely No. 5 Bethel (12-4). (The Bees will host No. 21 Twin Valley South in a sectional opener on Oct. 18.)

If Lehman is victorious, it will advance to a district semifinal on Oct. 25 at Newton High School, likely against No. 3 Miami East (13-3).

Lehman was in first place in TRC standings heading into a match with Bethel on Tuesday night.

The Cavaliers beat Miami East 2-1 on Sept. 29 to pull in a first-place tie in conference standings; they lost to the Vikings 4-1 in the teams’ first matchup on Sept. 8.

The loss was Miami East’s first conference defeat of the season, but the squad lost 4-3 to Bethel on Thursday.

Lehman beat Bethel 2-1 on Sept. 15 in Sidney. If the Bees won Tuesday night’s matchup, it would force a three-way tie for the TRC title.

Anna, Botkins to face off for WOSL title, potentially again in tourney

Anna and Botkins are tied for first place in Western Ohio Soccer League standings with 4-0 records and will decide the conference title when they face off on Thursday in Botkins.

It’s potentially the first of two meetings this month, as the squads could meet in a district semifinal.

Botkins (9-1-3) was voted the No. 7 seed and will start postseason play by hosting either No. 14 Preble Shawnee or No. 15 Dayton Christian in a sectional final on Oct. 22.

Anna (6-7-1) was voted the No. 9 seed and will host No. 25 Yellow Springs in a sectional final on Oct. 22.

If both the Trojans and Rockets are victorious, they would face off in a district semifinal on Oct. 25 at Bellefontaine High School.

Preble Shawnee could play spoiler to a postseason rematch between Botkins and Anna. The Arrows finished regular-season play 13-2-1 and were undefeated in Western Ohio Athletic Conference play. They tied Lehman 0-0 on Saturday in their regular-season finale.

Tippecanoe’s Chelsea Dettwiller dribbles as Sidney freshman forward Katie McKinney trails during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City. The Yellow Jackets lost 2-0.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/10/web1_BPB_1083-1.jpgTippecanoe’s Chelsea Dettwiller dribbles as Sidney freshman forward Katie McKinney trails during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City. The Yellow Jackets lost 2-0.Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News

Sidney sophomore forward Larkyn Vordemark, left, fights for the ball with Tippecanoe’s Laney Cleckner during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/10/web1_BPB_1117-1.jpgSidney sophomore forward Larkyn Vordemark, left, fights for the ball with Tippecanoe’s Laney Cleckner during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City.Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News

Sidney freshman forward Kenzi Koester, left, fights with Tippecanoe’s Alex Foster for the ball during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/10/web1_BPB_1104-1.jpgSidney freshman forward Kenzi Koester, left, fights with Tippecanoe’s Alex Foster for the ball during a Miami Valley League game on Monday in Tipp City.Bryant Billing | Sidney Daily News
Lehman Catholic, Anna, Botkins could see familiar foes in tourney

By Bryant Billing

[email protected]

Contact Bryant Billing at (937) 538-4818, or follow @SidneyOHSports on Twitter and @BryantBillingSDN on Facebook.

No posts to display