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Klacik’s goal gives Canfield AAC crown
By DAN HINER
CANFIELD
To say the Canfield girls soccer team has been a powerhouse in recent years is an understatement. The Cardinals added on to the program’s legacy when Canfield beat Austintown Fitch 1-0 on Wednesday night.
The match — which decided the All-American Conference Red Tier champion — came down to one play early in the first half.
Canfield (12-1, 9-0 All-American Conference) produced the goal of the night when senior Haylee Klacik scored on an assist from Gianna Campana with 26:31 remaining in the first half.
“It was good movement off the ball,” Canfield head coach Phil Simone said. “We got them sucked over to their right hand side, and Haylee made a run to the right. The ball got played across to her in open space, and she did well putting the ball in the far left corner.”
Fitch (10-3-1) was able to push the ball down the field throughout the game, but Canfield’s back line was able to misdirect shots all game. Canfield goalie Olivia VanDevender recorded four saves in the match.
“They did put a lot of pressure on us up top. The put a lot of pressure on us last game, so we kinda knew that was coming,” Simone said. “Our girls dealt with it well. This game we were without our leading scorer this year, Anita [Mancini], and she’ll be back next game. To win and hold them off without her, causing them havoc up top is even that much bigger for us.”
The Falcons had opportunities to tie the game, but Canfield’s defense was able to interfere with Fitch’s passing, and stifled their offense the closer the Falcons got to the net.
“We’re only playing with three backs so we’re trying to beef up our center mids because Canfield’s real strong in the center. So they’re going to misplay balls back there once and awhile,” Fitch head coach Tex Martin said.
Martin said he wanted his players to avoid going toward the middle of the Canfield defense. He wanted his players to focus on attacking on the outside of the field, but that would have limited their passing angles.
“There’s not a lot of passing going on in the back,” Martin said. “It maybe a quick settle and a drop, or a quick pass to find somebody’s feet in front of them, but it is harder.”
Martin said his team played well with the exception of Canfield’s goal, and his girls “played this game as if it were a playoff game.” He said he was proud of how his girls were able to play and how they played toward the end of the game.
“I think we were pretty evenly matched,” Martin said. “We stabbed in on one side and one of their players turned and scored, and that’s how they got their first goal. I think the game was pretty much even after that.”
The win clinched the fourth straight AAC title for the Cardinals. Simone said he was happy the way the girls played this year and is excited that the seniors on the roster are able to celebrate another title.
“We’ve lost a lot of core players the last couple years — numbers-wise this is one of our thinnest years,” Simone said. “That’s a huge confidence builder for them. We moved from Division II to Division I, so right off the bat everybody said, ‘They’re DI this year and things aren’t going to be as good.’ But getting it, for the seniors especially, getting it all four years they were on the team — winning a conference championship’s huge for them.”