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http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Obituaries Weather Archive Hot Topics Forum Photo Gallery Past Readers Polls Revels Etcetera Backpage O-Zone Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Online Games Movie Preview October 11, 2006 Comets strike Ashland By Joe Zavala Ashland Daily Tidings Denise Baratta | Daily Tidings Ashland's Raven Susu-Mago (17) battles Crater's No. 3 Aime Wingler and No. 14 Rachel Smith. A goal out of nowhere left the winning team somewhere, though where, ultimately, has yet to be determined. Sadie Barlow scored early on an indirect kick and the Comets' defense took over from there as the Crater High girls' soccer team pulled out a crucial 1-0 Southern Sky Conference victory over Ashland Tuesday at North Mountain Park. The win bumps Ashland from the top of the SSC standings with four games to go, but that could change soon as Crater awaits an Oregon School Activities Association ruling that may or may not jeopardize its league title hopes. In their first eight games, including two league contests, the Comets (5-2-2, 3-0 SSC) played a transfer student whose eligibility has since come into question. If Crater is forced to forfeit the two league wins it gained over that period, it would fall 11/2 games behind Ashland in the SSC standings. That provided little consolation to the frustrated, offensively-shunned Grizzlies (7-4, 3-1), who entered the game red hot, having won its last four games by a combined score of 15-2. Led by speedy senior defender Katrina Ramirez, Crater made those numbers look bloated, deflecting virtually every Grizzly push and severely limiting Ashland's scoring opportunities. "I think the kids knew for themselves that this was the biggest game of the year so far," Crater coach Ed Lindbloom said. Both teams came out aggressive, but it was Ashland that had the upper hand early, passing and cutting and forcing the Crater defense to bend. Then, out of the blue in the 12th minute, Barlow's strike changed all that. The junior midfielder took a pass from defender Andi Bagdan 25 yards in front of the goal and rocketed a shot that looked perfect from the moment it left her foot. And it was. Ashland keeper Catie Pratt, a junior whose been a virtual brick wall the past two weeks, back peddled and leaped, but couldn't get a finger on the ball, which bended just under the crossbar and into the net. The score seemed to stun Ashland. "You can't blame anybody for that kind of a goal; that was just a perfect shot," Ashland coach Eric Wolff said. "That always takes the air out of you. I thought the girls kept fighting and kept working, but we just couldn't quite get it done anymore — we couldn't get a good enough shot off and we were always half a step off, it seemed like." Ashland sophomore defender Jubilee Sharpe agreed. "We were playing really well and playing our game, but then they scored and we kind of gave them a safe line — something that they could hold on to," she said. Ashland did create a few more solid scoring opportunities, particularly in the late going, but the Comet defense rose to the challenge each time. In the 70th minute, junior defender MacKenzie Hedges lofted a 40-yard pass into the box, where three Grizzlies converged. The ball was caught out of the air by Crater keeper Katie Orr, a sophomore who was making her first start in the goal. In the 80th minute Ashland generated perhaps its best chance to finally break through when Hedges hit streaking teammate Hannah Sohl with a through pass that momentarily put Sohl in front of the Crater defense. Ramirez turned on the jets to cut off Sohl's charge, and the Grizzlies couldn't muster a shot on goal. "At the end of the second half we kind of came together, but we needed to just play more as a team rather than as individuals," Hedges said. "Our defense played great, but they just had that one lucky shot." Sports editor Joe Zavala can be reached at 482-3456 x 224 or joe. [email protected] Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising Inkjet Printers Student Loans Water Filter Helzberg Diamonds Mortgage Calculator Security Systems Advertisement: Copyright © 2006 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved.