Nine goals in five days. Three wins and one great penalty. It’s been quite a week for Oni Krueckeberg, as her hat trick gave the Braves everything they needed to beat Snider at home on Senior Night, 5-0, Wednesday.
While none of the seniors got on the scoresheet, it would not have bothered them much. They’ve been one of the most unselfish classes in recent memory in this BHS program.
All of the twelfth graders started the game and they reappeared in the second half together, but there was a serious game to be won, especially considering the Panthers entered the night ahead of a very good Bishop Dwenger team in the SAC standings.
Bellmont dominated possession throughout, but Snider most definitely grew into the game, pushing Bellmont to the limits of comfortability when it came to the physical level of play.
The Braves were nearly on the scoreboard in the opening ten minutes when Krueckeberg won a free kick, but Claire Roth saved it off the post.
The match remained scoreless as the Bellmont regulars filtered back on the field until the 19th minute, when Kaitlyn Barton made her first impact with a ball through the middle to Oni, who had no defenders between her and the goal. Krueckeberg beat Roth and celebrated breaking the deadlock.
It seemed as if the 1-0 scoreline would go to halftime, but Barton set up classmate Ella Sovine for a sweet finish and a 2-0 lead on 38′.
With the lights on and the game into the second half, Krueckeberg was fouled near the end line outside of the box. She received a Barton free kick and smashed it home for her second at 54′.
Three minutes later it was Krueckeberg providing the assist to Barton for a 4-0 lead.
Krueckeberg nearly provided her own assist in the 63rd minute, hitting the crossbar with a shot. Senior Kate Kitson picked the ball out of the air, found Oni open at the penalty spot, and the junior made it 5-0 on her hat trick goal.
Mary Bleke had just two saves in the game, with Bellmont enjoying most of the possession.
With Leo’s 3-1 win over DeKalb, the Braves now sit in sole possession of first place in the NE8. They have three conference games remaining and their record is now 6-6-1.
Krueckeberg is one goal away from matching last year’s total of 19 goals with three weeks left in the 2026 regular season.
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