Walsh Jesuit too strong for Canfield

By Tom Williams

ROCKY RIVER — Against undefeated state contender Walsh Jesuit, Canfield High’s first girls soccer team to reach a regional final did its best to keep the Warriors in reach.

Sandra Yu scored twice in the first half to stake Walsh Jesuit (18-0-2) to a 2-0 lead in Saturday’s Division I contest at Rocky River High.

But as the Cardinals (13-3-6) struggled for scoring chances that didn’t develop, the Warriors added two more goals in the first 15 minutes of the second half en route to a 5-0 victory.

“At halftime, we were still pushing hard, trying to keep our teamwork together,” Canfield captain Dayna Love said. “We were keeping up with them in the first half, holding them to two goals.

“In the second half, the wind and everything else just kind of beat down on us,” Love said.

In Wednesday’s state semifinal, Walsh will play Medina, one of the other two teams that Canfield lost to this season (6-0).

“I think it will be a good match,” Love said. “A lot of us are going to go watch that game.”

Canfield’s other captain, senior forward Audrey Smith, finished the season with 19 goals.

“Medina is the better team,” Smith said. “We held with [Walsh] for a while. Against Medina, we didn’t have a chance.

“We’ve been working hard since July 1,” Smith said, “We only lost three games — it’s been a great season. I can’t believe it’s over but it’s been so much fun. It just wasn’t our day, I guess.”

In his second season as Canfield’s head coach, Phil Simone was pleased to see how well his seniors had progressed from when he was their club coach in junior high.

“They are a real special group for me. They have been a real cohesive group,” Simone said of seniors Love, Smith, Michelle Gettemy, Brooke Mangiarelli, Jessica Hughes, Jenna Battaglia and Kelly Fening. “They get along so well.

“They definitely have a special place in my heart. They are all going to be missed.

“Early in the year, we were struggling a little bit at finishing, getting goals,” Simone said. “But as the year progressed, our confidence started getting better and we started clicking. Defensively, we stepped up and started playing as a group a lot better.”

Yu’s first goal game about six minutes into the game came on the Warriors’ second shot. Elizabeth Bollinger took the first shot that was stopped by Canfield goalkeeper Jackie Podolsky. But Yu pounced on the rebound and sent the ball into the net.

About 19 minutes into the game, Walsh’s Kaylee Semelsberger plowed into Podolsky who was going for the ball outside the box.

The Canfield junior finished the half and was beaten again by Yu despite a diving attempt. The ball deflected off Podolsky’s outstretched arm and trickled into the corner of the net for a 2-0 lead.

“She was a little hurt, but I was planning on putting Kelly [Fening] in for the second half,” Simone said.

Reflecting on the season, Love said, “We’re all really proud and we can all thank Simone for that,” Love said. “He’s the one who truly got us here.

“It’s such an honor to be part of the senior class to get this far. We’ll always remember this year, that’s for sure.”

williams@vindy.com