DANE FUELLING
WZBD.com
FORT WAYNE – The stage doesn’t get much bigger for a regular season game in the NE8. Leo and Bellmont, both undefeated in the conference, have been the cream of the crop in recent years and they were afforded the opportunity to play at the brand-new Ruoff Mortgage Stadium in Fort Wayne Monday night in a doubleheader with the boys.
Despite falling behind in the opening two minutes, the Braves never gave up hope, scoring late and forcing a shootout, which they won to move to 4-0 in NE8 play.
Senior Jacey Wieland was given the space to receive inside the box in the second minute and a nice bit of skill gave her the opportunity to take a shot on goal, which went off the hands of the keeper and spun in.
The Lions created few chances the rest of the first half in the big stadium, but the Bellmont crowd was loud and always hopeful.
Coach Lee and Coach Skaggs tinkered with their lineup throughout the match, but the combination that ultimately paid off for Bellmont was an old-fashioned one. Receiving a weak shot in her own box with the open end of the stadium to her back, Mary Bleke hurried to the top her own box and laced a punt with her pink boot high into the Fort Wayne sky.
Meanwhile, in the middle of the flat, artificial turf of Ruoff Stadium, classmate Oni Krueckeberg was making a run that was banking on one variable – that the ball would hit the ground and bounce. That’s exactly what it did and the center back for Leo had no chance to catch up with the speed that the Braves’ leading scorer possesses.
Krueckeberg took the opportunity – the team’s best in the 80 minutes of regulation – and slotted it home (see below) at 65′ to tie the match, tucking it into the far post with Grace Ruble ready to pounce if it went off the bar or the keeper’s hands.
Both sides then seemed to flirt with the idea of going for the win, but ultimately it was stalemate that prevailed and after two seven-minute periods of overtime, the PA announcer walked the crowd through the rules of overtime.
The Bellmont back line, consisting most of the night of Ashley Bleke, Kate Kitson, Maya Schlemmer and Hayden DeBolt, kept Leo off the scoreboard for the final 95 minutes of open play.
Mary Bleke made nine saves in the game, but there was always a feeling that the original early goal had left a sour taste in her mouth. Her teammates had little doubt that, if given another opportunity, she could be an even bigger star in the game, even after picking up an assist on the equalizing goal.
The Braves won the toss and chose to put Bleke between the sticks first. She delivered a moment of brilliance with a diving save on Leo’s first attempt.
Oni Krueckeberg then blasted the best penalty of the night into the top right corner (see below).
Finnley Crawford converted for Leo, but after two rounds of the required five, it was 2-1 Bellmont when Lanie French nailed her attempt.
Bella Hissong converted for Leo again and Ashley Bleke righted a previous wrong by blasting hers into the hands of Addy Wenger, but the Leo keeper had the ball spin right off her hands, out in front of her and eventually in before Wenger, who was still on the ground, could react (see below).
Bellmont had a chance to win it with time to spare after Frankie Lorenc’ kick was wide, but Maggie Wilson thundered it off the crossbar (see below). When Ashlyn Corlew had enough pace to get it above Bleke, it was up to Kaitlyn Barton to finish off the job.
Barton, who has been the free kick specialist for the team for years, slowly addressed the ball and waited for the keeper to react, (see below) then slotted it home with the side of her foot the opposite way, sending the Braves into a frenzy.
The Braves will play Snider in our game of the week on Wednesday on 92.7 FM. It will also be senior night for the team.
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