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Hernando Today

Teams trade shots, no goals

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By JIM REDMILE, Hernando Today correspondent

Published: December 17, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - You can't call last Monday night's match a moral victory, because nobody lost. Neither Class 4A, District 8 team had to take the high road.

For two teams that supposedly don't get along, it really never got ugly.

Springstead Head Coach Polo Furlong summed it up best for the Nature Coast Sharks, "It's the first time they haven't lost to us in four years, so a tie is a win."
Furlong had many good things to say about the 8-5-2 Sharks.

"They've improved," he said about their rivals. "They played better today. It was a great game, a great effort for the two teams. And a tie is not a loss."

Springstead (10-1-3) seemed to have the momentum early.

Forwards Taylor McKinney and Ashley Walker had several chances at shots, but couldn't capitalize.

"Some games are just like that," said Furlong. "Some games you get good shots on goal. Tonight, the luck was not with us. Sometimes it really does not matter how much you persist."

Eagle senior defenseman Jackie Holtje tried to put it between the pipes at 26:30 and the 30-minute marks on direct kicks, but Nature Coast goalie Sarah Berberian, second in the district in saves (110), was perfect with nine on the night.

"Sarah's been in good form," countered Shark Head Coach Phil Bennett. "All her saves were comfortable saves. She did well."

But Bennett gave credit to his defense also. "Our defenders have been outstanding all season as a unit. They were solid. I'm trying to get them to start the ball off in back so when we win the ball they don't just kick it anymore. They make sure it gets to a blue player. We played flawless, and it started in the back."

Although Springstead outshot Nature Coast 6-4 in the second half, the momentum seemed to shift to the 8-5-1 Sharks.

"We dominated them 70 minutes of an 80 minute game," insisted the fourth-year skipper Bennett, who has never beaten Springstead.

Springstead goalie Jennifer DeFrancesco, third in the district in goals against average (.846), was also perfect on the evening with six saves.

"With all our injuries they played their hearts out," Furlong explained. "I got two girls that just came back today. They haven't practiced at all. They just jumped back in the game."

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