GIRLS SOCCER Hubbard halts Canfield; Duvall delivers winner

The Cardinals could not finish their attacks on goal.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
HUBBARD -- It was an odd attire, even for a teen-age girl, to be sporting.
When Jami Duvall was stopped post-game and asked to discuss her goal against Canfield, the Hubbard High senior was wearing her complete uniform but holding her right soccer shoe and sock in her hand.
Duvall's goal, with 25 minutes, 25 seconds remaining in the match, gave the Eagles (9-2) a 1-0 win over the Cardinals (8-2-1).
"I've never had an interview with one shoe on and one shoe off," laughed Duvall, who has 19 goals through 11 matches.
Right place, right time
On the scoring play, at least four players, including two Cardinals, got a piece of the ball before Duvall put in the rebound from 10 feet.
"The little freshman we have playing, Amanda Fisher, played it over and then Duvall scored off of it," said Hubbard coach Dennis Smith.
Fisher's pass was deflected by Canfield goalie Noelle Zalac, and a Canfield defender also touched it before Duvall finished the attack.
"Amanda Fisher dribbled it down the side, she crossed it, it deflected off the goalkeeper, hit one of their players and then I kicked it in," said Duvall.
Duvall scored with her right foot, the one which was left bare and planted on the cold asphalt running track surrounding the field during the interview.
Apparently her fashion statements are made on the field of play.
Stalemate
Although Canfield seemed to get the better of the Eagles in the first half (10 shots on goal to five), the teams settled for a scoreless deadlock.
Then, about nine minutes into the second half, Hubbard sophomore Christina Adams broke down the right wing, took a pass from Mary Newberry and met a diving Zalac on the corner of the goalie's box. The shot was smothered, but the Eagles rallied from there.
Only 80 seconds after the tally, Zalac was knocked from the game with a bruised leg. On that play Canfield defender Erin Fening stepped in front of what seemed to be a sure Hubbard score, right at the goal line.
The Eagles played more spirited in the final 40 minutes, outshooting Canfield 9-2.
"We weren't marking close enough the first half," said Smith. "I made a couple of position changes and it seemed to work."
Junior defender Brittany McKee was up to every challenge, often thwarting a Canfield attack before a shot was attempted.
"McKee is usually pretty good, every game," said Smith.
"This was a non-conference game for us and what we were doing was experimenting with another formation," said Canfield coach Jon Ulicney. "Unfortunately, it was not successful and that was my fault as a coach."
Not in the net
Canfield had a hard time finishing plays, especially in scoring range. With the game just minutes old, senior Gratzia Sorice crossed a pass in front of the Hubbard goal, but Abby Ferko couldn't deliver with a header.
Just minutes later Sorice found Amy D'Amico open, but her shot missed. Whitney Zunic also missed with a try from the right corner, giving Hubbard goalie Lynle Cornell one of her nine saves. Zalac had seven saves.