CCC ties the game in the final minute of regulation, but St. Andrew's wins it.
By BOB PUTNAM
Published February 11, 2004
CLEARWATER - Squirting to a vacant spot where the ball uncannily turned up on her toe, Boca Raton St. Andrew's Zoe Gay raced past a Clearwater Central Catholic defender and hit a shot that sailed past the outstretched arms of Marauder keeper Becky Thompson.
The goal, which came in the first overtime, did more than give the Scots a 2-1 victory. It also marked the first time CCC failed to make the region final since 1996.
"It sure was a tough way to have the game and that streak end," Marauder coach Tom Typrowicz said. "But I certainly can't fault the effort."
After rolling through the regular season, CCC (17-6-1) suffered a setback when senior Kari Weniger was lost with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament during the district tournament last week. The team rallied to beat St. Petersburg Catholic in the district final and Frostproof in the region quarterfinal.
But Typrowicz knew that to keep the region final streak going, his team would have to get past a young St. Andrew's team that was wise beyond its years. Although the Scots starting lineup includes eight freshmen, most gained experience playing in a strong club program, Team Boca.
That showed as St. Andrew's (16-6) dictated the pace throughout the first half and took the lead when Jenna Levenson scored off an assist from Sam Knapik.
Down 1-0, the Marauders stayed alive by kicking. Of their 10 shots on goal, six came in the second half. CCC got the break it needed when Scots keeper Allison Kurtz stepped over the line on a kick and a penalty was called.
The Marauders were awarded a direct kick from just outside the box. With the shot coming her way, Kurtz deflected it into the path of CCC's Julie Scanlon, who alertly passed to Kathleen Hunter.
Hunter fired and Kurtz barely got her hand on it. The goal tied the game with less than a minute left in regulation.
St. Andrew's got redemption with Gay's goal and the defense made the lead stand through two overtimes.
"We could have folded at that point, but these girls are used to those type of situations," said St. Andrew's coach Becky Dent, whose team won its region quarterfinal game in double overtime. "I think they were more ticked at themselves that they let the game go into overtime."
