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By Nate Ritchey
nritchey@altoonamirror.com
SIDMAN -- With the new realignment of the Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference, Central and Forest Hills girls didn't meet on the soccer pitch this season.
On Monday night, the two teams got together in the District 6 Class 2A semifinals at G.H. Miller Field.
The Lady Dragons controlled pace of play and possession as two goals from Carli Hart off two assists by Kira Trexler proved to be more than enough to propel Central to a 2-0 victory over the Lady Rangers.
"We practice possession all season -- that's our main thing," Hart said. "Possession, passes and building from the back."
Central plays Bedford Thursday at Hollidaysburg at 7:30 p.m. in the final.
The Lady Dragons wasted little time getting the upper hand as Trexler's corner kick from the left corner curved In towards the goal but was stopped from going in by Lady Rangers goalie Alyssa Walker.
"I knew the wind was going my direction and last game I scored that way (direct shot off a corner kick)," Kira Trexler said. "So, I figured try it again and Carli was there."
Hart was waiting on the doorstep and as the ball caromed off another leg, Hart got a foot on it and snuck the ball across the line to give her team a 1-0 advantage just 1:10 into the contest.
"I think it was just a big boost of confidence for us," Hart said. "Because of them (Forest Hills) being the higher seed, we obviously nervous about the whole game. When we got that first goal it was like 'guys we can do this'. And, it put us mentally in a really good position."
While there was still plenty of time left for Forest Hills to get an equalizer, the Dragons employed their ball control patience -- looking to pick apart the Rangers.
"Obviously, we didn't want to let down," Central coach Randy Trexler said. "Every position they understand it (ball possession). So, if we just protect the ball -- for us, that's all we ever try to do."
Play continued for much of the first half going back-and-forth before Central got another opportunity in the 18th minute off a corner kick that came up empty.
FH got a corner of its own four minutes later and Central goalkeeper Lacey Ripka made a diving save going to her left.
With three minutes left, the Rangers were in business with a direct kick from 25 yards out. But Samantha Danel's shot sailed over the goal to keep Central up 1-0 at the half.
"The girls came out for 38 more minutes (after Central's opening goal), and they busted until that (halftime) buzzer went off," Forest Hills coach Lari Gallaher said.
The Lady Dragons began the second half by peppering shot-after-shot on Walker which the junior was able to come up with the first four on goal.
However, the fifth proved to be the proverbial nail in the coffin as Trexler dribbled into space along the right side.
The junior saw a streaking Hart running toward the box and played a ball into the 18-yard box that took a bounce.
"I saw her (Hart) making that run," Kira Trexler said. "So, I lifted it over near where she could hopefully get to it."
With Walker charging out to make a play on the ball it became a race to see whether Hart or Walker would get to it first.
Fortunately, for Central it was Hart that got there as the sophomore put the ball on her chest and ran thru it right past Walker around 12-yards out.
Hart got enough of a deflection on the ball that she chased it as it headed toward the goal to be sure no Ranger defenders could knock it away.
The ball found the back of the net at 32:59 of the second half to set the final of 2-0.
The Lady Dragons ripped 18 shots in the second 40 minutes of action with 13 of them being on goal.
"That gives us the breather which is what we needed there," Coach Trexler said.
The last near miss chance came in the 11th minute as Kira Trexler unleashed a shot from 25-yards out the hit of the crossbar and back into play where the Lady Rangers were able to clear the ball out of danger.
While Central kept the pressure on Walker, Forest Hills was only able to manage four total shots -- all on goal -- in the second half.
The only real threat by FH came in the eighth minute on a direct kick that Danel lifted into the box for a teammate crashing hard.
Fortunately, Ripka, who earned the shutout with seven saves, got to the ball first and secured it for the Lady Dragons.
SCORE BY HALVES
Central 1 1 — 2
Forest Hills 0 0 — 0
First half: C--Hart (Trexler assist), 38:50.
Second half: C--Hart (Trexler assist), 32:59.
Goalies: Central -- Ripka: 7 saves, 7 shots on goal; Forest Hills -- Walker: 16 saves, 18 shots on goal.
Shots: Central 25, Forest Hills 9.
Corner kicks: Central 6, Forest Hills 1
Records: Central (13-7-0); Forest Hills (12-6-2).