Staff report
EATON — It was the pivotal moment in what has become a traditional Lehman-Miami East Girls Division 3 Sectional final Tuesday night at Eaton High School.
Miami East junior Haley Demmitt had just launched a shot from 40 yards into the back of the Lehman net with 34:34 remaining to tie the game 1-1 and stun the top-seeded team in the D-3 sectional.
But from there, Lehman responded with the poise you would expect from one of the top-ranked teams in the state who had allowed just three goals coming into the game. And a young Miami East defense would eventually break down, resulting in a 5-1 Lehman win.
Lehman, 15-1-2, will play Madeira on Saturday for the district title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Lemon Monroe High School.
“I think we were rattled there for a few minutes,” Lehman coach Jeremy Lorenzo said. “Then I thought we settled down and showed a lot of poise and played the way were capable.”
Miami East finished the season with a mark of 7-6-6.
The game was still tied 1-1 when Kaitrin O’Leary sent a perfect cross to Liz Pax at the top of the box with 20:56 remaining and Pax was able to get it in the top of the net.
“Kaitrin probably hasn’t put up the stats she would like this season,” Lorenzo said. “But she’s been on fire the last three games and she continued that tonight.”
Molly Safreed then made two big plays to finish off a big night and put the game away. She crossed to Grace Monnin with 14:17 remaining to make it 3-1, then scored by sending a laser into the corner of the net to make it 4-1 with 9:53 remaining.
“That’s what makes Molly such a special player,” Lorenzo said. “She has 22 goals and lot of them are plays like that. I’ve said all along that she’s one of the best players in the Miami Valley and she showed that tonight.”
Samantha Edwards finished off the scoring with 26 seconds to go. She took a short kick on a corner kick along the back line and hooked it perfectly into the net.
In the opening half, the ball was in the Lehman end almost the entire time. East goalie Katie Bodenmiller made a number of great saves to limit the damage to one goal.
Lehman had 13 shots in the first half alone — with the goal coming with 13:44 remaining in the half when Safreed finished on a Hannah Fogt cross.
It stayed 1-0 until the shot by Demmitt to tie the game despite the Lady Vikings being outshot 31-13 on the night.
Beavercreek 2, Sidney 0
CLAYTON — Sidney was under attack all night from Beavercreek in the Division 1 Sectional finals at Northmont, and came out on the short end of a 2-0 score.
The loss ended the Lady Jackets’ season at 12-5-2, while Beavercreek advances to the district.
Sidney goalie Carly Dean had 24 saves on the night.
Preble Shawnee 2, Anna 0
MONROE — Anna also saw its season come to an end Tuesday night.
The No. 8-seeded Lady Rockets were defeated by fourth-seeded Preble Shawnee in the D-3 Sectional finals at Monroe High School, 2-0.
The loss ended an outstanding season for the Lady Rockets at 14-3-2.
