Cate's Brennan Cusack gets around her Gladstone defender on Thursday. Cusack scored Cate's game-winning goal.
Annie Weis scored twice and Brennan Cusack once for Cate’s girls soccer team on Thursday, but it could have been a lot more in a 3-1 first-round CIF victory over Gladstone.
The Rams dominated the field of play, holding possession for a majority of the game. Weis and Cusack repeatedly found ways to get the ball into threatening situations in front of the net.
“We’ve been working really hard lately,” Weis said after the game. “And I think that we’ve been working on playing the ball fast and two-touch, and I think that showed a lot today so I was really happy with that.
The Rams converted three goals but head coach Lisa Holmes thought it could have been more.
“I wish we could have scored a few more,” Holmes said. “We didn’t play with the intensity that I had hoped in the first half. Second half, we were a little stronger and got some opportunities because of it.”
While some of the missed opportunities were Cate’s own fault, Gladstone keeper Rebecca Garcia made several plays to single-handedly keep the Rams out of the net.
“We were shooting pretty well; we just got kind of unlucky,” said Weis.
The Rams ended up making their own luck with persistent attacking pressure.
Weis scored Cate’s first goal mid-way through the first half on a blast from the top of the 18-yard box. The rocket of a shot was still rising as it hit the back of the net.
Annie Weis scored twice for Cate.
Cate’s immense pressure upfront opened up a few counter-attack opportunities for Gladstone. The Gladiators were dangerously close to scoring on only a couple of occasions, but broke through to equalize in the 59th minute.
Daniella Silva got behind Cate’s defense and poked a low shot past Cate goalkeeper Grace Gail.
“Definitely after halftime, the coaches stressed the importance of us stepping up our intensity a little bit which I definitely think that we did,” Weis explained. “Which was good because I think we were pushing towards the goal even more in the second half.”
Less than 10 minutes later, the Rams were back on top 2-1 thanks to Brennan Cusack. The forward took advantage when a Gladstone defender failed to clear a ball, leaving it for Cusack to pounce on and one-touch into the goal.
Weis gave the Rams a comfortable two-goal lead in the 77th minute on an unassisted score. Weis took control of the ball near midfield and streaked down the right sideline with a defender on her back. The junior maintained control while dribbling around two more defenders and reached the front of the net for a point-blank shot.
“Cate has a wonderful team,” the Gladiators head coach said. “They were good sportsman and they played hard. It was their day.”
The victory sends Cate (8-4) into the second round, where they will face the Division’s No. 1 team in St. Margaret’s.
Cate's Addison Mayfield takes the ball towards the endline before making a centering cross.
