LODI - Sophomore Brynn Ritschard scored three goals and, for the second time this season, the Monroe High School girls soccer team beat Capitol Conference champion Lodi.
Thursday's 4-2 win by the Cheesemakers came in a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal to end the Blue Devils' season. Monroe had beaten Lodi 1-0 earlier this season.
Monroe (10-7-4) advances to play Sugar River (20-2-2) in a regional championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The Cheesemakers got a boost Thursday when head coach Miriam O'Neill attended the game. O'Neill is battling an autoimmune disease and did not coach five games late this season.
"I think the girls felt very good," Monroe assistant coach Curt Zastrow said. "What made it special was Miriam getting there before the game. They wanted to win it for themselves and for her."
Monroe sophomore Olivia Werth scored the first goal at 5 minutes, 27 seconds, but the Cheesemakers had to rally from a 2-1 halftime deficit.
"Our physicality and energy made the difference," Zastrow said. "The girls dug extremely deep and worked for everything harder than Lodi."
Ritschard scored three second-half goals, including two on headers. The first goal for Ritschard came in the 56th minute on a header. She added a goal on an assist from sophomore Reily Pond in the 57th minute. She sealed the game by scoring on another header off a direct kick from senior Maddie Kallgren in the 66th minute.
"I have put more pressure on our girls to score goals because our defense is very strong, and I don't think we give up many goals." Zastrow said.
Monroe freshman goalie Anna Latimer had a game-high 21 saves.
"They (Lodi) probably had more shots, but we had more quality shots," Zastrow said.
Sugar River defeated Monroe 3-1 on mMay 21 but that was without Latimer at goalie who suffered a concussion and Werth also missed the game.
Thursday's 4-2 win by the Cheesemakers came in a WIAA Division 3 regional semifinal to end the Blue Devils' season. Monroe had beaten Lodi 1-0 earlier this season.
Monroe (10-7-4) advances to play Sugar River (20-2-2) in a regional championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday.
The Cheesemakers got a boost Thursday when head coach Miriam O'Neill attended the game. O'Neill is battling an autoimmune disease and did not coach five games late this season.
"I think the girls felt very good," Monroe assistant coach Curt Zastrow said. "What made it special was Miriam getting there before the game. They wanted to win it for themselves and for her."
Monroe sophomore Olivia Werth scored the first goal at 5 minutes, 27 seconds, but the Cheesemakers had to rally from a 2-1 halftime deficit.
"Our physicality and energy made the difference," Zastrow said. "The girls dug extremely deep and worked for everything harder than Lodi."
Ritschard scored three second-half goals, including two on headers. The first goal for Ritschard came in the 56th minute on a header. She added a goal on an assist from sophomore Reily Pond in the 57th minute. She sealed the game by scoring on another header off a direct kick from senior Maddie Kallgren in the 66th minute.
"I have put more pressure on our girls to score goals because our defense is very strong, and I don't think we give up many goals." Zastrow said.
Monroe freshman goalie Anna Latimer had a game-high 21 saves.
"They (Lodi) probably had more shots, but we had more quality shots," Zastrow said.
Sugar River defeated Monroe 3-1 on mMay 21 but that was without Latimer at goalie who suffered a concussion and Werth also missed the game.
