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Raiders knock off powerful Concordia By TIM PYLE ASHLAND - Even its own sports information office doubted the Southern Oregon women's soccer team. The "Raider Sports News" release handed out to spectators at Saturday afternoon's Cascade Conference match between Concordia and SOU was headlined "Do you believe in miracles?" It went on to say, "From the Raider coaching perspective, a tie yesterday (2-2 against Evergreen State) was a mild disappointment. Such an outcome today, however, would be considered a Godsend." Oh ye of little faith. The Raiders used a first-half goal from freshman left midfielder Amber Velasco and a stifling defense to top the Cavaliers, 1-0. The victory snapped Concordia's 18-game league winning streak dating back to 1999. The Cavaliers, No. 8-ranked nationally in the NAIA, are the defending Cascade champions, and they entered the match 7-0 in conference play, coming off a 7-1 demolition of Oregon Tech in Klamath Falls on Friday. The Raiders, meanwhile, had just 13 players - i.e. 11 starters and two subs - available for Saturday's match after losing sophomore midfielder Kristy Ayers, the team's second-leading scorer, to a knee injury during Friday's double-overtime tie. Nonetheless, SOU (6-7-1 overall, 6-2-1 Cascade) was up to the task in claiming its biggest win since the Raider women's program was revived last season. Junior goalkeeper Emily Schifferling dove to her right for a one-handed snare of Missy Clark's penalty kick with seven minutes remaining and made another point-blank save against Clark a minute later to preserve the victory. Schifferling finished with 14 saves overall. "The save was spectacular," SOU coach Jose Chavez said of Schifferling's penalty-kick stop. "She just wanted a shutout more than anything else in this life." Senior sweeper Monica Doshier, a former Ashland High standout, was integral in shutting down Clark, a junior central midfielder who was the Cascade player of the year in 2000, and speedy senior forward Bre Starzecki. Raiders fullbacks Desirae Tarr, a freshman, and Deborah Bigelow, a sophomore, were also key defensive figures. "It was so amazing," said Doshier, co-captain along with Schifferling. "When we first started our season last year, it was like, 'Concordia, the team to beat.' It was one of those things, 'Will it ever be possible?' "And we did it, my senior year. It's so cool to be able to do it. It happened." SOU got all the scoring it needed just before halftime when Velasco supported senior central midfielder Anne Endrikat's run into the Cavaliers' penalty box and was rewarded with a drop-back pass from Endrikat. With no nearby defender to challenge, Velasco calmly controlled along the left sideline and wound up for a 30-yard blast over Concordia sophomore goalkeeper Shelley Butcher and into the far-post netting. "I was looking for far post, and it just went right over her head," said Velasco, who hails from Woodburn and has four goals this season. "Monica, Deborah and Desirae, they played a bomb game on defense." The Cavaliers (10-4 overall) controlled possession and had the Raiders under constant pressure, but Doshier, Schifferling and company never cracked. Concordia fired 28 shots to SOU's seven and earned nine corner kicks to the Raiders' two. The only statistic that matters to Chavez and his blossoming SOU program, however, is the final one - 1-0, Raiders. "We've got a lot to be proud of," said Chavez, his team sitting third in the Cascade standings and aiming to advance to regionals for the first time this postseason. "This tells us we can play with anybody." And faith is half the battle. Reach reporter Tim Pyle at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.