Dominating performance

By Mike Bowen
Times West Virginian

FAIRMONT August 27, 2008 12:30 am

— After two disappointing ties to open the season on road, West Fairmont’s girls’ soccer team wanted to make a statement in the home opener against North Central Athletic Conference foe Elkins.
The Polar Bears dominated the Tigers for all 40 minutes of the contest, out-shooting Elkins 31-0 in shots in goal in a 6-0 victory Tuesday.
“I think the girls were a little humbled by the ties last weekend,” West head coach Debbie Cattafesta said. “Today we came out composed and worked it around. It took us a little while to get started, but in the end, I think we played a good game.”
West controlled the game, spending the entire first half in Elkins’ end of the field.
The Bears got on the board with 23:49 when Laura Dalton came in from the left side of the field and knocked it off the Elkins keeper into the goal to make it 1-0 Bears.
It was West’s only goal of the first half, though the Bears took several shots on goal with Elkins’ keeper making several good saves.
The Polar Bears’ keeper Alex Mascaro first touched with only 6:55 left in the first half.
“We used our defense more on offense today,” Cattafesta said. “It was a nice way to open the home season and a good showing from all the girls.”
In the second half, the Bears exploded offensively for five goals.
Tessa Gardner led off the half with a header off a corner kick from Dalton to make it 2-0 with 34:55 left.
Just a little over a minute later, Dalton scored her second goal of the game off an assist from Tai Cattafesta.
Dalton got credited with the next goal, giving her a hat trick, when her corner kick went off the head of an Elkins player into the goal.
Morgan Cain scored on a penalty kick with 10:54 left, and Cattafesta added a goal of her own to make the final tally 6-0.
“We just didn’t pound them like we should have in the first half,” Coach Cattafesta said. “We had plenty of opportunities, but we need to settle down and figure out clean passes and good corners. We did that in the second half.”
The Bears took 13 corner kicks in the game, scoring on two.
The junior varsity team took on Bridgeport following the varsity game, winning, 2-1.
Makenzi Robinson and Anna Starkey scored the goals for West Fairmont.
In last week’s 1-1 tie with Spring Valley, Lizzy Turner scored West’s only goal of the game.
West Fairmont (1-0-2) will be back in action on Saturday when it hosts Winfield at 3 p.m.
E-mail Mike Bowen at mbowen@timeswv.com.

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