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No district downer for Hurricanes

By DAWN REISS and KELLIE DIXON
Published December 20, 2006

Citrus girls coach Charlie Gatto has tried to set up a strong foundation for future years. In the process, the 'Canes have improved, ending their district season with a 3-0 win Monday night over Crystal River.

The win brings Citrus to 8-3-1 in the district, with two losses to Belleview and another to Lecanto, which the 'Canes tied.

"We're rebuilding here, but we're doing very well," Gatto said. "It's their chemistry, their attitudes. The girls are getting along very well."

After last year's region semifinal run, the 'Canes weren't sure how they would do this season after graduating most of their team.

"This is a good team, good students and a lot of fun," Gatto said. "There's not really any pressure on us this year, unlike there was last year. The pressure is on me not the team."

COLLEGE COMMITMENT: Lecanto senior forward Maggie Mueller orally committed to Clayton State University in Morrow, Ga.

"I just went there and fell in love with it," Mueller said. She plans to major in health and fitness management in the hopes of becoming a high school coach.

Mueller, who has 16 goals and five assists this season, looked at University of Tampa and Saint Leo, but liked Clayton State's Totty O. Totty's coaching style.

"He used to play," Mueller said about Totty, who is a three-time Division II All-American, member of a Division II national championship squad and member of the Nigerian national team. "I felt like he knew what he was doing."

Mueller said not having to worry about college has helped her relax and play more passionately.

"It just lifted everything off my shoulders and I could play to play again," Mueller said. "I was just putting too much pressure on myself."

TAKING A SHOWER: For the second time in two weeks the sprinkler system has gone off during a Lecanto game. The latest was during Friday's boys game between Citrus and Lecanto. The teams took a water break while Panthers coach Doug Warren shut off the water.

DOWN FOR THE COUNT: Lecanto sweeper Erin Carpenter will have surgery today on her thumb. The junior broke a piece of the bone in her thumb after getting slidetackled during the Panthers' first game against Central. Initially she thought it was a sprain so she waited a few weeks, but the swelling didn't go down.

"And it was really bruised," Carpenter said. "So we got it X-rayed. They're going to put a pin in it and try to pin it back to the right bone and put a hard cast on it."

Carpenter hopes to put padding on the hard cast so she can play.

MIA: After being out for a few days with a leg injury, Citrus' lone senior, Amber Jordan, was back in action Monday. Gatto said she was injured after a goalkeeper stepped on her leg during the Dec. 11 Dunnellon game.

[Last modified December 20, 2006, 02:41:46]