District dominance

South Sumter poses no problem in Zephyrhills's 8-0 win.

By STEVE LEE
Published January 7, 2006

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ZEPHYRHILLS - If not for a shot off the crossbar and two point-blank saves by South Sumter backup goalkeeper Missy Robbins, Zephyrhills could have gotten everyone at Bulldog Stadium out of Friday's chilly weather by halftime.

The Bulldogs, who led 6-0 at the break, added two goals in the first eight minutes of the second half for an 8-0 win by the mercy rule. That took three minutes longer than when Zephyrhills defeated its Class 4A, District 8 rival 8-0 on Nov. 22.

"I told them after we tied Gulf they had to start playing," Zephyrhills coach Janet Heyman said.

Following a tie with Gulf, Zephyrhills (12-4-2, 10-2-2) won its last three district games to clinch the second seed in the 4A-8 tourney that begins Jan. 16 at Springstead.

Despite the outcome of the first game with South Sumter (3-16, 0-14), a third-year team coming off a five-win season, Heyman advised her players "to work on fundamentals, make sure we're communicating out there and play as a team."

Kristen Vollmer, who has a team-high 32 goals, scored twice and nearly had a hat trick in the first half. But Robbins batted away a shot from inside the penalty box. Robbins, who entered the game after starter Stacey Warden allowed five goals in 14 minutes, also made a diving save with her right hand on Brittney Hough in the first half.

Like Vollmer, Deja Dukes nearly had a hat trick. But she hit a crossbar in the first half. Dukes scored her 16th goal before the break and tucked in a rebound for the game's final goal.

Laurren McLoud chipped in with a goal and two assists, and Erica Collura had a goal and three assists.

The Bulldogs took an early 2-0 lead on goals from an unexpected source. Brandi Mira kicked in her second and third goals in the first five minutes of the game.