Photo by Jay W. Bennett
Parkersburg South’s Riley Shockey controls the ball against Dover’s Lydia Frank (4) while teammate Alyssa Feller (11) looks on during the Patriots’ 5-0 victory Tuesday evening at Erickson All-Sports Facility.
PARKERSBURG — Dover keeper Addie Martin did everything she could to keep host Parkersburg South off the scoreboard here on a rainy Tuesday evening at the Erickson All-Sports Facility, but the Class AAA top-ranked Patriots were too much during a 5-0 shutout.
Patriot keeper Mackenzie Mott got the only goal she ended up needing during her shutout effort between the pipes when she watched Regan Shockey assist on Livy Henderson’s goal in the 22nd minute. Shockey sent a pass near the corner of the frame and Henderson was there to boot it in.
PSHS, which improved to 5-0 and returns to action with a 6 p.m. varsity only affair Thursday at John Marshall, went into halftime up 2-0.
Mia Miller launched a near 40-yard direct kick right at Martin, but the junior was unable to corral it and Shockey was there for an open netter.
“She’s an outstanding young goal keeper,” admitted Patriot head coach Ron Bucholz of the junior Crimson Tornado who finished with 18 saves. “She had several good saves and has really good hands. Some of those balls just stuck like glue.
“She’s a very well trained high-level keeper and she kept that a little closer than it could’ve been. I was pleased. We played well. We passed the ball around beautifully as a team. The second half was a little cleaner.”
Dover, which graduated seven seniors last year and was playing without senior midfielder Jaiden Corley, had just two shots on goal against Mott. They both came in the first half thanks to Alyssa Feller and Annie Wright.
Shockey almost had another goal in the 45th minute, but her shot went off the crossbar.
The same thing happened in the 48th minute, but this time when the ball bounced off the crossbar Samara Nunn was there for an easy tally and a 3-0 cushion.
Miller’s direct kick boot from around 35 yards in the 57th minute made it 4-0. Martin made a leaping grab at it, but the ball went through her hands.
Adi Altizer also banged one off the crossbar for the Patriots in the 58th minute.
Dover, which allowed 23 shots on goal, wasn’t able to threaten Mott any in the second half. In the 78th minute, Feller tried to get a through approaching the box to teammate Sophia Bielski, but Addi White was there for the hosts to clear it.
The Patriots’ final goal came with 48 ticks left in the match when Riley Shockey got the ball ahead to Nunn, who used her footwork and speed to get into the box before making it 5-0.
“We communicated better,” Bucholz said of the second half. “The runs were better and the combination play was a lot better than I think the first half. The first half, I mean defensively, we were rock solid. The passing and the defense is really what I like to see using the goal keeper and really spreading the field, finding the midfields in the middle and playing the width.
“Offensively, it came together better in the second half, but like I said their goal keeper is magnificent. We were missing a few players and had some injuries pop up over the last few days. We were short a few of the varsity players, but I’m pleased with how everybody did and a lot of them got to play a full 80 minutes. It was a very good performance.”
Cameron Limer and Jenna Limer combined to take all 12 of the Patriots’ corner kicks, but the hosts couldn’t find the back of the net.
Kyra Sandy had Parkersburg South’s first shot on goal in the 12th minute and Ava Barton also had some solid second-half looks, including a rocket shot right at Martin in the 77th minute, but the Crimson Tornado keeper made the save.
Dover, now 0-5 for head coach Jared Hall, returns to action at 6 p.m. Monday at River View.
Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com.
