Senior Aviana Ewing chases down a ball along the sideline.
Photos by Ron Nunnari | Brookville Star
Freshman Grace Brown moves the ball into scoring position against Miamisburg.
Photos by Ron Nunnari | Brookville Star
Sophomore Kaitlyn Siefert moves the ball downfield as Miamisburg junior Kayla Gieszl gives pursuit.
Photos by Ron Nunnari | Brookville Star
Freshman Adriana Sheets prepares to take a shot on goal during the first half against Miamisburg.
Photos by Ron Nunnari | Brookville Star
CLAYTON — Sophomore Dara Russo scored all three goals Monday, Oct. 14 to lead Miamisburg to a 3-0 first round sectional victory over Northmont.
Russo, the top goal scorer in the Greater Western Ohio Conference, netted her first goal of the night with 15:58 remaining in the first half. It remained 1-0 at the half.
She scored her second goal with 16:28 remaining and nailed down the victory with her third goal with 3:11 left off an assist by freshman Megan Gregory.
The victory avenged a 1-0 loss to Northmont during regular season play on Sept. 11, also at Northmont.
For the most part the Lady Bolts looked listless. When forwards attacked the goal most of the team failed to move up to assist. Miamisburg kept the ball in Northmont’s half of the playing field the majority of the first half. That changed somewhat in the second half. Northmont put pressure on Miamisburg’s goal but couldn’t generate a score.
The momentum shifted back in Miamisburg’s favor from about the 10 minute mark on and from that point on it was apparent Northmont’s season was coming to a close.
With the loss the Lady Bolts concluded their 2019 season at 8-8-1 overall while Miamisburg improved to 6-8-3.
“Russo is the GWOC’s leading scorer and she is a solid player,” said Northmont coach Ted Mergler. “I just think that Miamisburg showed up for the fight. They came out and wanted blood and they got it. My girls had an up and down season and it is what it is. I am proud of them. I am going to miss my eight seniors. It’s tough to lose that many all at once. I wish them well and we will see what happens next season. We just didn’t come for the fight tonight.”
Out of the starting 11 players the team will lose its back four and goalie Taylor Pritchett. The midfield and forwards for the most part will return next year.
