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June 14, 2010
PANTHERS ALONE IN 1ST PLACE
Sweep WPSL foes Saturday, Sunday
By Phil Stephens
Editor
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Jackie Torda scored two goals and an assist this weekend, helping Fort Worth with two more wins.
Photo by Phil Stephens |
Fort Worth continued to toot its horn this weekend, sweeping two WPSL teams in its home openers (5-0 over Tulsa on Saturday 3-1 over the Oklahoma Alliance on Sunday) and controlling the Big Sky South Conference from its lonely first-place position (3-0-0 and 12 points). As a team that won just one game in 2009, the Panthers are currently in soccer nirvana. It has made its statement to the league and everyone is listening.
“I feel great for the players,” Panthers’ head coach Ted Copeland said. “I feel great for the players. They’ve worked extremely hard and deserve the credit they get for their performances.”
It was an overall goal fest for the Panthers against the Spirit with five different players hitting for markers. It took 32 minutes for the scoring to start, but it was like a shotgun blast with four goals coming in eight minutes.
Jessica Davis was first, converting an assist from Shelby Campbell in the 32nd minute. Kaili Terry was next, scoring after a pass from Kristina Corona. Allie Frakes hit a net ball in the 38th minute with an assist from Alex Mechalske. Newcomer Stacey Copeland joined in with a goal in the 40th minute, assisted by Laura Sadler. It pushed the lead to 4-0 going into intermission.
The Panthers finished off the scoring in the 70th minute with a goal from Jackie Torda and assist to Copeland.
Sunday was a broiler at TCU’s Garvey-Rosenthal Stadium for the 2 p.m. start. The Panthers were just as hot with Sadler finding the net in the first minute with an assist to Torda. A quick start was important for Fort Worth, which was playing the only other undefeated team, Oklahoma Alliance.
“We played out wide and got behind them,” Copeland said. “A score in the first 10 minutes in any game is very important.”
Alliance answered back in the 28th minute with the equalizer scored by Sally Cole and assist by Colleen Dougherty.
The 1-1 draw didn’t last long because the Panthers’ Sadler did it again in the 38th minute, assisted by Terry.
“We pressed forward and got a great cross,” Copeland said. “The ball took a few bounces and came to Sadler in the run of play. She was in the right place at the right time and finished it off.”
The brace for Sadler proved to be the game-winning goal for Fort Worth. Jackie Torda earned the insurance score in the 72nd minute, assisted by Michelle Nguyen.
Copeland is enjoying the Panthers’ place for what it is now, but admits, “Every game is different. We know next week (Against the Dallas Premier) will be tough and physical.”
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