Infinity players in the Herald Journal representing their respected high schools

SV notches key region win
By Jason Turner
Published:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 2:47 AM CDT

SMITHFIELD — When Haley Voeller found the back of the net in the 74th minute, it almost seemed like the weight of the world was lifted from the Sky View girls soccer team — players, coaches and fans alike.

In a Region 5 match the Bobcats desperately needed to win, Voeller’s picture-perfect finish gave them that ever-so-important insurance goal as Sky View shut out Box Elder 2-0 Tuesday afternoon at Hansen Field.

“You just keep praying for the insurance goal, especially against a Box Elder team that we just seem to struggle with,” SV head coach Doyle Geddes said. “That was a relief to have that one, and the way it happened was really nice, too.”

It was one of Sky View’s best goals of the season as Krista Whittle served a spot-on 15-yard square ball to Voeller at the top of the 18, and Voeller one-timed a shot just over goalkeeper Natasha Litchfield’s head.

“It was nice because we work on it in practice, knowing that somebody is down there for the through ball,” Whittle said. “It’s good to know that when your team works hard at practice it’s going to show in a game.”

It’s the kind of goal that could potentially give the Bobcats (5-4, 1-2 Region 5) more confidence in the attack down the road.

Sky View dominated the possession battle and created a lot of scoring opportunities, unofficially outshooting Box Elder 25-7. However, the Bobcats struggled to put those shots on target as only nine of them were on goal.

Whittle pinged a shot off the crossbar at the 70-minute mark and, less than a minute later, Robin Hansen hammered a volley off the right post. Even Meagan Payne’s goal in the 43rd deflected off the near post before going in.

Missed chances like that gave the Bees (1-4, 0-3) hope late in the match as they only needed one good play in the attacking third to steal a point on the road. That’s why Voeller’s fourth goal of the season was such a relief.

“It’s a relief because we did take a lot of shots and we need to put more on goal, but when we have two goals up there, it feels like we have a lot more leeway, even though we want to do everything we can to keep our shutout,” Voeller said.

Sky View responded from its heartbreaking double-overtime setback to Mountain Crest last Thursday by taking it to Box Elder the first 20 minutes of the opening half. The hosts took the majority of its 11 first-half shots during that time frame.

Jessica Clements, Jessica Brooksby and Hansen all missed scoring by a matter of inches in the first 20 minutes. Clements sent a perfect cross to Brooksby from close to the left corner flag midway through the half, but Brooksby’s shot inside the 6 went right to Litchfield, who made some good saves.

“The big thing for us is we just needed to get three region points on the board,” Geddes said. “... We had a rough halftime because we’re sitting there nil-nil in a game where we know if we bring more effort and more intelligence we’re going to win, but we only have 40 minute to take care of that and that was nerve-racking.”

Megan Allred made five saves to preserve Sky View’s fourth shutout of the season, and center back Macken Brady stymied a handful of potentially dangerous Box Elder scoring chances.

“There are times where we just feel like, ‘OK, we just need Macken in defense, push everybody else (forward),’” Geddes said while laughing. “She’s just such a complete player.”