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Buccaneers continue to improve

Unselfish play gives Berkeley Prep a 3-0 win over Tampa Catholic.

By MIKE READLING, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 17, 2002

TAMPA -- Wednesday's Tampa Catholic-Berkeley Prep game was a warmup of sorts as both teams head into the district tournament.

Sure, it was a 3-0 victory for Berkeley that affects seedings for the district tournament in two weeks, but for coach Ken Roberts, his team's victory meant just a little bit more.

Roberts watched his Bucs continue to come together in the second of three consecutive games after a weekend in which Berkeley Prep scored what might have been a season-turning victory against Jacksonville Episcopal. Berkeley Prep trailed 2-0 at the half of that game before rallying to win 3-2.

Wednesday, the Buccaneers (13-7-1) scored all three goals off of plays that were the result of unselfish teamwork, a trait Roberts has been searching for much of the season.

"We're starting to put it together a little bit," Roberts said. "All of those goals were a result of us starting to jell. That's really where we need to get."

The Bucs' first goal came less than a minute into the contest, when Sarah Deal headed a Tampa Catholic goal kick right back into the penalty box. Cally Stolbach allowed the ball to run through, shielding off a defender before putting it far post in the lower right corner of the net.

"The first 10 minutes I don't think we came ready to play," Tampa Catholic coach Rori Rushing-Braum said. "I think we needed to get a little shellshocked before we got warmed up."

The Crusaders (9-8) stayed shellshocked for the first portion of the game, allowing Berkeley to dominate play and not letting the Crusaders control the ball on the Bucs' side of the field until the sixth minute. Berkeley finished the game by outshooting TC 24-2.

While the Crusaders tried to get things going, Berkeley was rolling. Sharp passes and tight defense held TC in check most of the game. If not for the outstanding play of Tampa Catholic goalkeeper Allie Doyle, the game might have gotten out of hand.

"My compliments to her," Roberts said of Doyle. "What a nice game she had."

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