Junior midfielder Sophia Sharos punched home a penalty kick just more than 12 minutes into the second half Tuesday, giving Collinsville a 1-0 Southwestern Conference victory over Belleville West.
Dayle McEwen’s attempt to clear finds a Belleville West defender / Photo by Roger Starkey
The Lady Kahoks shutout the conference’s top scoring team despite playing without two starters in the back four. Collinsville (4-2-1, 3-0 SWC) has overcome injuries to defenders all season to hold five of its six opponents scoreless.
“I’m not sure we’ve had the same back four since we started play,” Head Coach Clay Smith said.
Tuesday the Lady Kahoks turned to freshman Dayle McEwen to defend Sydnee Carroll, who entered the game with eight goals and 10 assists in six matches. Leading up to the game, Smith talked to McEwen that she needed to have a good game against Carroll.
“Hats off to Dayle McEwen tonight, she did a great job back there against a potential all-state player,” Smith said.
Carroll muscled her way past the Kahok defense on a couple of occasions in the first half and used her ball skills to find space on other occassions. But each time, the defense would close the gap or senior goalkeeper Holly Bluemner would smother an attempt.
Belleville West (5-2, 0-2 SWC) held Collinsville scoreless in the first half despite several strong chances on goal. Freshman midfielder Andrea Frerker curled a ball off the post at the 19 minute mark and won a loose ball in front of the Lady Maroons goal with 11 minutes remaining in the half, but West goalkeeper Mackenzie White gobble up the shot.
White came out of the net to pounce on a Tayler Devine shot at the 25 minute mark after the freshman forward had beaten the defense. White had a strong game in goal, Smith said.
“Mackenzie White played huge for them tonight….two huge breakaway saves in the first half and Andrea Frerker running the post in the first half,” Smith said. “We just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
Collinsville’s luck changed when West was called for a penalty in the box 12:25 into the second half, just after the Lady Kahoks’ were not able to capitalize on another scoring opportunity. Smith sent Sharos to take the kick, and she calmly beat White to her left side. The goal was Sharos’ fifth of the season.
Bluemner recorded her fourth solo shutout of the year (she has also shared a shutout with Julie Scheiter). Collinsville had a 3-2 advantage in corners in the first half and a 3-2 deficit in the second.
The Lady Kahoks travel to Alton for a 6:30 p.m. kick off Thursday.
