BOX SCORE
WILMINGTON, Ohio - Senior Natasha Ballard's goal in the 15th minute held up as the game-winner, as the fifth-seeded Capital women's soccer team edged host Wilmington 1-0 in a First Round match of the OAC Tournament on Monday night.
Displaying another stellar effort in net for CU was junior Linley Vermillion (Englewood, Ohio/Northmont HS), who stoned 10 Quaker shots in route to her sixth shutout of the season to lead the Crusaders (13-6-2) into a meeting with #15 Otterbein on Wednesday in the OAC Semifinals at 2 p.m.
"I thought it was a very evenly played first half. I knew Wilmington was going to come after us after we took the lead. We dealt with a lot of pressure in the second half, but our girls fought hard and they battled, and that's how you win championships. I told the team that I was proud of them, but this isn't the end," head coach Dwight Burgess said.
Capital took the lead when Ballard (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/ Reynoldsburg HS) lofted a 25-yard chip shot from the right side of the field that landed just over the outstretched reach of Wilmington keeper Maria Larson to put CU ahead 1-0.
"I was definitely just trying to keep the pressure on their side of the field, and not to let them counter on offense," Ballard said. "I wasn't expecting it to go in, but as it was heading toward the top post I realized it had a shot. It was a great feeling. The offensive pressure we had tonight was carried over from what we started last Saturday against Otterbein. We just have to keep this momentum going."
Ballard stated several reasons for how Capital avenged their 2-1 loss as the hands of No. 4 Wilmington (11-6-2) at home back on October 13."Our confidence is much higher, and we're more mentally prepared, and we have our swagger back."
Leading the offensive charge alongside Ballard was classmate Katie Robinson (Grove City, Ohio/Bishop Ready HS), who started the first half and later returned to give the offense a spark near the end of the match.
"That's the chess match within the game. Our goal was to our seniors as connected as possible because it's their team and their season," Burgess said.
The Crusaders then endured an onslaught of pressure by Wilmington's offense in the second half, as Capital withstood 10 Quaker shots in the second stanza (and 17 shots for the match, compared to eight for the Crusaders).
Wilmington's best chance to score was thwarted when Vermillion blocked the Quakers' Jenna Curcio on a one-on-one run inside Capital's box in the 51st minute to preserve the shutout.
"I told myself that I'm not going to hesitate at all, and I just came up to the box with a force. Luckily, I think my charge shook her up and she kicked the ball right into me," said Vermillion, who later made two more stellar saves in the 63th minute to preserve the lead.
Vermillion was aided by the stingy defensive play of senior Sarah Hagan (Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Jerome HS) and classmate Molly Sheils (Centerville, Ohio/Centerville HS), who kept the second most prolific offense in the OAC off the scoreboard.
"Our defense worked really well together and had the best communication that we've had all season today," Vermillion said. "I'm really proud of the back four today, they did a great job. After the first half, we remembered that we were leading Otterbein on Saturday and we let them come back, and I think we had to show that we've improved and that we learned from that experience."
The Purple and White, who lost to the Cardinals 3-2 this past Saturday, will return to Otterbein Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.
"We're maybe a little smarter and wiser from the last time we played Otterbein. I also think that our seniors really have a sense of urgency now. You can imagine how disappointing the loss to Otterbein was Saturday. They put themselves in position to win, and they didn't go take it," Burgess said. "I think now that they have a great appreciation of what it's going to take to continue their season. I think they've begun to understand that sometimes work rate and heart can make up for lack of pretty. There are no extra goals for pretty. If we end up the ugliest team in the OAC and we are holding up the trophy on Saturday, I'm okay with that."