Published: May 08, 2008 11:12 pm            

Graham strikes down Abingdon

EAST RIVER — A 45-minute lightning delay could not slow down the Graham G-Girls in their quest for a Southwest District title. But lightning did strike twice as Kelli Landreth headed in a pair of goals as Graham beat Abingdon 4-1 Thursday at the rainswept East River Soccer Complex.

“The girls deserved it. They worked hard,” said Graham head coach Roger Mercke. “They hustled. They beat them to the ball. They made great crosses. Everything we’ve worked on all year finally put everything together.”

“I think we played so amazing,” said Beth Mercke, who added a goal and two assists. “I’m so proud of our team. We played awesome. We had great teamwork. It was just a beautiful game.”

“It helps us so much because them and Tazewell are our two biggest competitors in the district,” Landreth said. “And a win like that, it’s just amazing.”

The G-Girls dominated the run of play in the first half and continued to control it in the second. It meant that Graham’s defense was not required to do much work.

“I think we outplayed them. I think the score showed it and we played a heck of a game,” Roger Mercke said. “We needed it and we need to do the same thing on Monday (against Tazewell).”

Landreth scored her first goal in the ninth minute off a corner kick from Beth Mercke. The latter’s cross found the former perfectly on the far post.

“I just knew I had to send it to the center and I was praying someone got on it,” Beth Mercke said. “I was trying to aim at the (six-yard box), but if it turns in, that’s great.”

“Beth Mercke, she has amazing crosses and that was her best cross of this year and luckily I just got my head on it,” Landreth said. “I was trying my best (to aim for the opposite post). I didn’t know how good it was going to do, but I was trying my best.”

Landreth doubled Graham’s lead four minutes later, heading in a rebound off a Beth Mercke free kick.

“She kicked it and that goalie (Morgan Grant) is amazing,” Landreth said. “It hit the post and I was just following the ball and trying to get there.”

“I was trying to go far post right over the keeper’s hands,” Beth Mercke said. “But usually it hits the post whenever they have a tall keeper and Kelli was right there to hit it. She’s always there when we need her.”

The delay occurred in the 17th minute. Following a long downpour, the G-Girls reestablished their dominance. But Abingdon got the goal. Shana Bauserman sent a long ball to Jessica Stepp, who rolled the ball past Graham goalie Brittany Hayes four minutes after the restart.

But the G-Girls shook off the goal and reestablished their dominance.

“It took us a minute or two to get running and get loose,” Roger Mercke said. “But once that happened we got back into the swing of things and we had a lot of breakaways. We had a lot of missed opportunities that maybe on a dry day we would’ve made.”

Beth Mercke scored on another free kick opportunity in the 28th minute. Her shot was at an angle from 25 yards away from the goal mouth. But it sailed past Grant into the right side of the goal to put Graham up two again.

Graham put the game away four minutes after halftime. Beth Mercke almost had her second goal when she attempted a tight-angle shot deep inside the Falcons’ penalty area. But her shot turned into a cross when it was tapped in by Kristin Brown.

Abingdon head coach Jimi Meyer declined an interview request following the game.

Graham (9-2-1, 6-1-1) travels to Tazewell on Monday for a game that could decide the regular-season district champion.

“Even though we have Richlands on Thursday we don’t want to skip ahead or anything,” Roger Mercke said. “But we’ve got to either tie or win on Monday for us to win the district.”

— Contact Jed Lockett

at jlockett@bdtonline.com



At East River Soccer Complex Field 1

Goals — Abingdon: Jessica Stepp (21); Graham: Kelli Landreth (9, 13), Beth Mercke (28), Kristin Brown (44). Assists — Abingdon: Shana Bauserman (21); Graham: Beth Mercke (9, 44). Halftime — Graham 3-1. Shots (On Goal) — Abingdon 15 (7); Graham 21 (10). Corner Kicks — Abingdon 4; Graham 9. Offsides — Abingdon 0; Graham 1. Fouls — Abingdon 6; Graham 12. Cards — None.

        

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