By Jeffrey Kauffman, Sentinel Reporter, May 18, 2010
Mechanicsburg’s girls soccer team showed Monday night that it was more than ready for Warwick.
The Wildcats scored two goals in the opening five minutes en route to a 7-1 District 3-AAA play-in round victory over the Warriors at rainy Northside Soccer Stadium.
The win moves the Wildcats into the round-of-16 game against Penn Manor at Penn Manor on Wednesday.
Three minutes into battle, Ali Matisse took a perfectly slotted ball from Natalie Zelenky and left-footed the ball past Warrior keeper Emily Osborne from about 10 yards out.
Moments later, the Wildcats went up two goals, as Jodie Zelenky found a crossing Holly Burgard, who slid between defenders for a finish.
Matisse and Zelenky then worked their magic again, and the home team led 3-0 just over 10 minutes into the game.
“We were down 2-0 just minutes into the game, and we looked like deer in headlights,” said Warrior coach Mike Logan. “We were shocked, but Mechanicsburg is very quick, fast, and they make quick decisions, and we got caught in that tonight.
“It took us quite a while to get into the pace of the game. Sometimes that is what happens in a 9-seed-vs.-a-24-seed game. We didn’t play as well as we would have liked, but I certainly don’t want to take anything away from Mechanicsburg.”
Natalie Zelenky got the return assist from Matisse at just under 17 minutes into the game. Matisse took a rip from about 25 yards that was knocked down by Osborne, but the ball rolled away and Zelenky beat two defenders to the ball and slammed it home.
She would celebrate her birthday with two goals later in the half to give her a natural hat trick. One ball came from Burgard and the other from Emma Galinski, but it took some individual effort to get the ball into the net.
Matisse would cap her own hat trick in the second half as she took the ball on a two-on-one break with Zelenky but finished it herself for the 7-0 advantage.
Warwick added a goal later in the game as Kayley Landis ripped a drive from 35 yards out that slipped over Wildcat back-up keeper Shelbey Hoch.
“We have had a little time to get ourselves together mentally and physically, and we played really well,” said Wildcat coach Tony Lougee. “They played very smart, and I was pleased we kept at it after we scored a couple of goals. It was just a good effort all around tonight.”
