Menlo Girls Spoil Sacred Heart Prep's WBAL Soccer Party
Menlo 2, Sacred Heart Prep 0
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Cleo King and Emily Demmon each scored a goal and the Knights beat host Sacred Heart Prep, 2-0, pushing a possible clinch to the final day of the regular season.
Menlo (11-4-2, 6-2-1) clings to the possibility of sharing the title with the Gators (12-4-1, 7-1-1) for the second straight season, though the Knights will not only have to beat host Notre Dame-San Jose (2-13-1, 1-8) on Tuesday but also send some karma to Crystal Springs Uplands (8-5-3, 2-4-2 with a game Monday), which plays at Sacred Heart Prep the same day and at the same time (3 p.m.).
Both schools finished the WBAL Foothill season 8-0-2 last year and, yes, they tied each other twice during the regular season. Menlo had the final say, beating the Gators in the CCS Division II championship game.
On a somber note, Menlo junior midfielder Hunter MacDonald needed to be carted off the field with an apparent knee injury after a frightening collision near midfield. She crumbled to the ground and the lead official immediately called for the trainer.
"It was really scary," King said. "She was in a lot of pain."
MacDonald intercepted a pass on the opening kickoff of the second half and sent a through ball to the speeding Demmon, who finished with a beautiful shot from the left.
Emma Richart assisted on King's goal in the first half, taking a shot from the right side that bounced off the Sacred Heart Prep goalie's body and right to King's left foot. She tapped it into an open net.
Defensively, Demmon's younger sister, sophomore Sarah Demmon, was tasked with sticking close to Sacred Heart Prep's top offensive weapon Mia Shenk, who missed a few weeks with a knee injury of her own.
"We had a good plan for her and executed it very well," Menlo coach Ross Ireland said. "She (Demmon) is so tenacious that she can take away a threat and create space for her teammates."
Shenk, a leader by example, never appeared frustrated and partook of a great deal of passing and defense. She was just not able to get off a clear shot.
"At practice we've stressed defense, structurally and sliding different people into different positions," King said. "But, really, we came in feeling like we were already down and we needed to be that much better."
Claire McFarland and Richart led a solid defensive effort for Menlo, which won its sixth straight and eight of nine overall.
"They've come together far more effectively recently," Ireland said. "Bit by bit we're improving aspects of our game. We're in the right mood and the right frame of mind to do some damage in the playoffs."
Back
Menlo School put a little damper on Sacred Heart Prep's plans to celebrate a West Bay Athletic League Foothill Division girls soccer title Thursday. Call it payback for a loss to the Gators earlier in the season.
Cleo King and Emily Demmon each scored a goal and the Knights beat host Sacred Heart Prep, 2-0, pushing a possible clinch to the final day of the regular season.
Menlo (11-4-2, 6-2-1) clings to the possibility of sharing the title with the Gators (12-4-1, 7-1-1) for the second straight season, though the Knights will not only have to beat host Notre Dame-San Jose (2-13-1, 1-8) on Tuesday but also send some karma to Crystal Springs Uplands (8-5-3, 2-4-2 with a game Monday), which plays at Sacred Heart Prep the same day and at the same time (3 p.m.).
Both schools finished the WBAL Foothill season 8-0-2 last year and, yes, they tied each other twice during the regular season. Menlo had the final say, beating the Gators in the CCS Division II championship game.
On a somber note, Menlo junior midfielder Hunter MacDonald needed to be carted off the field with an apparent knee injury after a frightening collision near midfield. She crumbled to the ground and the lead official immediately called for the trainer.
"It was really scary," King said. "She was in a lot of pain."
MacDonald intercepted a pass on the opening kickoff of the second half and sent a through ball to the speeding Demmon, who finished with a beautiful shot from the left.
Emma Richart assisted on King's goal in the first half, taking a shot from the right side that bounced off the Sacred Heart Prep goalie's body and right to King's left foot. She tapped it into an open net.
Defensively, Demmon's younger sister, sophomore Sarah Demmon, was tasked with sticking close to Sacred Heart Prep's top offensive weapon Mia Shenk, who missed a few weeks with a knee injury of her own.
"We had a good plan for her and executed it very well," Menlo coach Ross Ireland said. "She (Demmon) is so tenacious that she can take away a threat and create space for her teammates."
Shenk, a leader by example, never appeared frustrated and partook of a great deal of passing and defense. She was just not able to get off a clear shot.
"At practice we've stressed defense, structurally and sliding different people into different positions," King said. "But, really, we came in feeling like we were already down and we needed to be that much better."
Claire McFarland and Richart led a solid defensive effort for Menlo, which won its sixth straight and eight of nine overall.
"They've come together far more effectively recently," Ireland said. "Bit by bit we're improving aspects of our game. We're in the right mood and the right frame of mind to do some damage in the playoffs."
Sacred Heart Schools Atherton
Founded by the Society of the Sacred Heart, SHS is a Catholic, independent, co-ed day school for students in preschool through grade 12
