Rappahannock takes home win between losses

The Lady Panthers found their feet last Thursday after a crushing 8-0 defeat and walked away with a 2-1 win against the Manassas Park Cougars.

Going into the second half the score was 0-0. The Panthers had only six shots on goal. The Cougars had two.

Rappahannock's varsity girls' head coach Dave Gillis told his team that he wanted them to keep the ball on the Cougars' side of the midfield line. To step the game up, he wanted to give the girls more shot opportunities. He told them to play keep-away.

"Out of that we ended up with two," he said.

Panthers midfielder Brooke Hatcher scored first, firing a shot that ricocheted off the top beam of the goal and into the net.

Forward Morgan Flourney kept the momentum up with her third goal of the season, a strong shot from the side.

With the defenders playing up and the midfielders and forwards putting on the pressure, the Panther took 15 shots on goal in the second half.

The team paid for it though when the Cougars' Kelly Powers dashed past the midfield line and Rappahannock's defenders and scored on a fast break down the field.

"It put us at risk," Gillis said.

Even with the goal, Gillis commended his defense after the game.

"I'm really confident in my defense," he said.

The Panthers didn't have too much time to rest on their laurels, though. This past Tuesday the team suffered another 8-0 defeat, this one against George Mason.

Rappahannock's girls are 3-3-2 for the season.