GIRLS SOCCER Canfield rebounds over Spartans

By None
The Cardinals earned a rematch with Poland for the sectional title.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANFIELD -- With 26 minutes remaining in its Division I sectional match Tuesday, the Canfield High girls soccer team was in danger of an early tournament ouster.
After beating Boardman 2-0 in the regular season a week ago and seizing an early 2-0 lead against the Spartans on a cold, rainy, slick, wind-swept turf, the Cardinals' lead evaporated.
Rather than be sent reeling, the Cardinals responded with a quick goal from junior Grazia Sorice and a late insurance tally by senior Kerry Hageman for a 4-2 Division I win.
Canfield (9-7-1) moves on for another match against top-seeded Poland, this time for the sectional title Saturday at 7 p.m. at Poland High. The Bulldogs, the Metro athletic Conference champions, own a pair of 2-1 wins over the Cardinals.
While the Cardinals got goals from four players and fine midfield play, it was a defender who did not score and who had no assists put together the best game against the Spartans (10-6-1).
Junior stopper Kelly Williams consistently spearheaded a Canfield defense that limited Boardman to few chances.
"I think Kelly is the best sweeper in the area," Canfield coach Dennis Opritza said. "She's an excellent talent, a terrific athlete."
Comeback: Boardman's offense played sluggish in the first 20 minutes, but the Spartans got a goal from junior forward Janeen Masternick six minutes before the break to cut Canfield's lead to 2-1.
At the 26:28 mark of the second half, Masternick found the range from 18 yards out to knot the score at 2-2.
Williams took charge and helped Canfield regroup.
"She's got great presence on the field," Opritza said of Williams. "She's got a great knowledge of the game and good vision. She has an awful lot of self confidence."
Canfield dressed just one sophomore for the match, forward Whitney Zunic, and she scored her fifth goal of the season at the 39:31 mark when she broke free down the left wing.
"That may be the quickest goal that we've ever scored, 29 seconds," said Opritza.
The play began when Sorice sent a long looping pass over to Zunic just past midfield.
2-0: At the 15:17 mark, Canfield junior Abby Ferko scored on a header from about 10 feet away, just punching the ball past Boardman keeper Lauren Callahan.
Canfield, which took nearly twice as many shots at the Spartans (23-13), got into trouble when the Spartans found their attack late in the half.
"We had the opportunity to score goals at the end of the first half," Boardman coach Fawzi Mujahed said. "The goal keeper for Canfield [Noelle Zalac] did a great job and saved a lot of goals."
Early in the second half, Zalac dove to save a Masternick try and managed to just stop a rebound shot by Boardman freshman Lauren Sirak.
Game-winner: Less than two minutes after Masternick tied the score, Sorice scored the game-winner from 20 yards out with a shot that just made it under the crossbar. It was her seventh goal of the year.
Williams again led the Canfield defense, which consistently gave the ball to the attack.
"I had all my help on the side," Williams said. "We were moving really well, passing, making runs.
"We got the offense going from the defense, pushing it up."
With 7:02 remaining Masternick was carried off the field with an injured leg and did not return. The Spartan attack was removed from the field with her.
"Boardman's offense is essentially Janeen Masternick," Opritza said. "She's the district player of the year and the leading goal scorer in the area. She has a very strong right foot."