Buzzing Kirtland ends South Range’s season

October 31, 2018 at 12:10a.m.

Buzzing Kirtland ends S. Range season

SOLON

In his sixth season as South Range High School girls soccer coach, Paul Lindstrom has never seen a team quite as talented as state-ranked Kirtland.

“We play a tough regular-season schedule against Division II teams, and that’s the best team that we’ve seen,” Lindstrom said after Tuesday’s 9-0 loss to the Division III Hornets at Solon High School. “They all have talent and speed and ball skills.

“And they work together well.”

The Raiders were making their first regional appearance. Early on, the Hornets were buzzing around South Range’s goal and senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Veneskey.

“It was pretty difficult,” Veneskey said. “I felt like I was running around with my head cut off. They were crossing the ball a lot and I had to be on both sides at once so it was pretty hard.”

Veneskey made 14 saves.

“That was one of her better games, against the best team,” Lindstrom said of his goalkeeper. “That’s what you want from your players — give me your best game against the best opponent, and she just played outstanding.”

Other seniors playing their final varsity game were Anna Finocchi, Rachel Maynard, Marlaina Slabach, Natalie Plunkett and Hannah Fryfogle.

“The seniors have taken us this far. We had a great group of seniors, and also a good group of young girls to hopefully build with,” Lindstrom said.

Twelve minutes into the game, the Hornets led 2-0 on goals by Jenna Sayle and Erika Zschuppe.

“It was like [playing] on a whole other level that we were just not ready for,” said Maynard, a forward who will plays travel soccer in the spring. “They were the better team.”

Seventeen minutes into the game, the score was 4-0 after Haley Coso and Sayle scored.

“It was a challenge,” said Slabach, the defensive wing who also plays basketball and softball. “All those girls are really good. They are really skilled.

“They are by far the best team that we’ve played, and we’ve played some tough teams, but nothing compared to these guys,” Slabach said.

Maynard and Slabach are pleased that they were on the first Raiders team to make the final 16 in the state.

“It felt amazing,” said Maynard of playing on Halloween Eve. “No one would have thought that we would have made it this far.”

Slabach said: “It’s been amazing, being able to spend more time with these girls on the field instead of it being over [quickly].”

As for basketball, Slabach said she’s “hoping to get at least a week off, but I’ll probably go back sooner.”

Speaking of busy, Veneskey is quite active with marching band and work when she’s not playing soccer. “It’s crazy, always busy, never have down time,” she said of her schedule. “I’m never home — my parents, they just she give up — she’s not eating dinner [with us] tonight.”

Asked whether her soccer skills come from Mom [Dana] or Dad [John], Veneskey laughed.

“Couldn’t say,” she said.

“It feels really good to have made it this far,” said the daughter of two music teachers who plays tuba and oboe. “We never expected [this].”

Lindstrom said: “I’m so proud of them, this is our most accomplished team.”

He advised his younger players to pay attention to how the Hornets perform.

“That’s where we want to [be] so watch that team. This is our first step,” Lindstrom said. “Next year, we want to improve.”