Varsity & JVA Sweep Oregon Clay (Toledo)

The Liberty Girls Varsity & JVA teams traveled to Oregon Clay HS (Toledo) on Saturday to face one of Northwest Ohio’s strongest programs, and came home with two wins. Liberty and Clay have now met for three consecutive seasons.

JVA set the tone for the day with a 5-2 victory. Goals were scored by Nora Gilger (2), Katie Underhill, Rachel Davison, and Grace Linscott. Assists were contributed by Olvia McKain, Sydney Rohl, Quinn Casey and Underhill. Maddie Kelley registered 3 saves in goal.  JVA is now 2-0-1 on the season.

In the Varsity match, the Pattys experienced  another slow start when Clay standout and Akron recruit Hailey Clere got a free header off a cross to the back post to take a 1-0 lead 90 seconds into the match. The Pattys responded quickly when Olivia Sensky drove a long ball over the Clay back line to Abby Townsend who timed her run well and calmly slotted the ball past the goalkeeper.  The rest of the first half was a scoreless battle, with Clay having a slight edge in possession and winning of 50/50 challenges.

Liberty would take control in the second half, but not without some late drama.  Three minutes in, Natalie Amodeo, beat her defender to the endline and slotted the ball perfectly to Townsend who finished the chance.  Four minutes later, a Townsend strike on goal was saved by the Clay GK, but Abby Jones finished her run, collected the rebound and scored. Before the 10 minute mark of the second half, Liberty would score yet again when Abby Townsend challenged the Clay goalkeeper on a backpass that was mishandled and led to her 3rd goal of the game in the 49th minute and a 4-1 lead.

The last 30 minutes were full of scoring action, as the Eagles continued to battle despite the three goal deficit.  In the 57th minute, Clay’s Clere once again beat her mark and headed home a goal off a corner kick to close the lead to 4-2. Ten minutes later, Clay would score again on a Reagan Clark back post finish off a pass from the flank, and the comfortable lead had dissolved.  Anna Hadley would extend the lead for Liberty two minutes later when she evaded the keeper in a 1 v 1 challenge and scored.  In the 54th minute, Lyndsey Kijowski received a pass from Elise Koshan and chipped the keeper from 20+ yards to cap the scoring for Liberty and seal the win, but Clay got one back a minute later when a Clay attacker was fouled in the box and Clay’s Clark converted the PK.

A special thanks to to the Oregon Clay HS coaches, parents and players for their hospitality and providing a post game meal for both the JVA and Varsity teams!

Congrats to the Pattys on the 6-4 road win and a 2-0-1 record in the series with Clay. Next up, Liberty travels to Marysville on Tuesday.

GO PATTYS!