Mustangs in the SAC driver's seat

By STEVE LEE
Published December 23, 2005

TRINITY - Mitchell defeated archrival Land O'Lakes for district girls soccer titles the past two seasons. On Thursday, the host Mustangs all but clinched their first Sunshine Athletic Conference crown with a 1-0 defeat of the Gators.

Mitchell (15-4-2, 8-0-1 SAC) has two conference games left against nonwinning teams Gulf and Hudson. A conference title would end a four-year run by Land O'Lakes (11-4-1, 8-2).

"That's the one title that we've always missed out on," Mitchell coach Karl Kukec said. "We're in a very good position to clinch the conference."

Lauren Schenk put the Mustangs in that position by scoring her county-leading 46th goal.

In the 69th minute, Jennifer Hendriksen and Schenk worked a give-and-go near the right post and Schenk beat Land O'Lakes goalkeeper Stephanie Howell with a low shot to the far side.

"It was very nice," Kukec said of the goal. "It was picture perfect, as we do it in practice."

Until that late goal, it appeared the conference rivals were headed for a scoreless tie with both teams playing well defensively and making few mistakes.

"It was going back and forth," Kukec said. "There weren't too many scoring opportunities."

"It was a good game," Land O'Lakes coach Vicky King said. "That's what we thought it would be. The defense's job is to shut down their attackers. That was probably the best our defense has played."

Kukec was not as enamored of his team's play.

"We didn't play well, but we still won," he said. "That goal was one of the only well-played situations."

Land O'Lakes narrowly missed on its best scoring chance. In the 48th minute, Amanda Goble's free kick from 23 yards out bounced off the crossbar in front of Mitchell keeper Amanda Graham. Rebecca Gonzalez pounced on the rebound, but the ball bounced high and glanced off her forehead.

"I was like, "Oh no,' " said Gonzalez, swiping her forehead.

[Last modified December 23, 2005, 01:14:13]