- By LaMarr Peters
- Sports
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| The Lansing girls varsity soccer team will play for the IAC Championship on Saturday at 5:00pm at Ithaca High School. The game will be aired on 1160 ESPN radio and streamed on 1160ESPN.com starting at 4:45pm. | ||
The senior led bunch finished its regular season last week with rain soaked dominant performances against local rival Dryden (4-1) and vastly improved Whitney Point (5-1). Lansing arrives at the title game with a 13-2 record with loses coming to Marathon (0-1) and Owego (1-2).
It is the first season since 2005 that the team has suffered two regular season losses. In what has at time been a trying season for the squad, those losses have proved more valuable than any outsider could imagine.
The Attack
What has remained constant through Lansing's reign has been its ability to find the back of the net. With 70 goals scored, it is evident that any team that wants to beat the ladies, they are going to have to stop the 3-headed dragon that is senior Soraya Leathers (13 goals), freshman Shea McCartney (18 goals) and division MVP, senior co-captain Tiffanie McIntosh (15 GOALS).
With midfield support coming from sophomore Elena Parkins, freshman Kristin Dake and 8th grader Reilly Zajac, the Lady Cat attack is capable of swift, incisive counterattacks and possesses the power and guile to hold the ball for long periods of possession. With their ability to attack both flanks and through the middle, it is an unenviable task for any opponent that thinks to shut down what has been a potent ability to punish the slightest of defensive lapses. Kourtney McGrath, Nikki Vanostrand, Chelsey Tilton, Sechelle DeChellis and Lexi Williams will be counted on off the bench to keep the group firing.
"WE MUST PROTECT THIS HOUSE"
2.3. That is the number of shots that Lansing is giving up per game. Not goals per game, but shots. Having surrendered just 8 goals this season, this years team is the stingiest of all the teams that coach LaMarr Peters has had when it comes to allowing teams shots.
The defensive unit is led by senior sweeper and co-captain Joanna Barrett, a 5 year varsity player, the only one of the Peters era. Along side Barrett are seniors Carlene Fields and Sabrina Tilton along with freshmen Maura McCartney and Lizzie Barrett. The groups strength lies in its organization, its speed, its willingness to tackle and fight and moreover its confidence on the ball.
The majority of Lansing's attacks starts with one of these backliners and has been a hallmark of the creativity and freedom that exists within the program. Michelle Schafer, Sarah Gisler and Audrey Montague round out the group that will continue to stymie and baffle opponents who dare venture into Lady Cat territory.
PLUS ONE
Senior goalkeeper Rachael Bruce has been the teams most improved player. With improved shot stopping, distribution and reading of the game, she will without a doubt be a player key going forward. Every team needs their plus one to be on top of their game and this is true in Bruce's case this season. The team has a vocal, confident leader between the pipes that poses the will and desire to make the game saving saves to propel a team with championship asspirations.
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