Prep Report: Baker girls beat Cape 3-0
After a scoreless first half, the Ida Baker Bulldogs willed themselves to a 3-0 victory over city rival Cape Coral Wednesday night in the girls’ soccer season opener for the Seahawks at Dave Warkentin Stadium.
It also was the District 4A-11 debut for both teams. That extra incentive was the one aspect of the game that helped propel the Bulldogs to victory.
“Being a district game, 0-0 would have been as good as a loss for us,” said Baker coach David Trepkowski. “To be in contention for the district title we have to finish off these district games. I just reminded the girls of that and they picked it up.”
Cape packed the defensive end in the first half and the strategy clogged up the shooting angles for the Bulldogs. One legitimate shot on goal hit the left post and a couple others were saved by Seahawks keeper Amanda Kopale (14 saves total).
Baker picked up the intensity and aggressiveness in the second half, scoring in the 52nd minute and 68th minute to take command. The Bulldogs enjoyed a lopsided advantage in shots on goal overall.
“We brought the ball out farther away from the goal with the crosses and the shots in the second half,” said Trepkowski. “Their keeper is very good and we had to open things up in front of her.”
The icebreaking goal came off the foot of sophomore Brittney Herrera, who dribbled up the left wing and sent a left-footed shot at the heart of the goal that caromed off Cape’s Laura Holloway trying to redirect it in front of the goal.
The second capped a frantic series in front of the net. Senior Christine Giles fired the first salvo in the middle that was kicked around by both sides and found its way back out to the left of the goal to Giles, who took advantage and buried it in the net.
Giles added a second goal, her fourth of the season, again taking a redirected ball inside the 18-yard box and drilling it into the upper right corner.
Baker goalkeeper Alli Dunning, a junior filling in for senior Natalia Ortiz, had to make just two saves on the night, one in each half.
“Their first goal kind of deflated us,” said Cape coach Dan Gross. “We held our own against a good team. We tried to get more offensive minded after the first goal, over about the final 25 minutes, but were unable to get anything going.”
The Bulldogs, now 2-0 overall and 1-0 in district, play another district game at Fort Myers at 6 p.m. Monday.
The Seahawks (0-1, 0-1) are at new city rival Island Coast at 6 p.m. Monday.
Boys Soccer
North Fort Myers 3, Mariner 2: Two second-half goals lifted North Fort Myers to a preseason victory over Mariner at Kelly Road Soccer Complex.
Juan Rincon tallied both Tritons goals on assists from Justin Kuchle and Christian Marin. Goalkeeping duties fell to Matt Brust (5 saves) in the first half and Ricky Reed (3 saves) in the second half.
The Tritons face Cypress Lake Thursday in the final preseason test.
Mariner begins the regular season Tuesday night with a rematch with the Red Knights at Moody Field.