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Hernando Today

Nature Coast Can't 'Buc' Trend

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By CHRIS BERNHARDT JR.

Hernando Today

Published: January 20, 2008

BROOKSVILLE – Call it a 'Buc-a-boo' but for whatever reason, Nature Coast Technical just can't seem to find a way to beat the Gulf High Lady Buccaneers.
Heading into Wednesday night's Class 4A, District 8 Tournament quarterfinal at Shark Tank Stadium, the two teams had met 10 times since the Lady Sharks started playing in 2003-04.
Nature Coast compiled a 1-8-1 mark in those meetings, the lone win coming back in 2004 before the two clubs became part of the same district.
Having dropped two close regular season contests, 2-1 and 3-1, the Lady Sharks had hoped to finally reverse the trend with their season on the line.
Instead third-seeded Gulf turned away sixth-seeded Nature Coast once more, surviving in a steady rain, 3-1.
"We just can't seem to do it against them," fifth-year Nature Coast Head Coach Phil Bennett said. "We'll make mistakes and silly errors and credit Gulf. They'll punish you for silly errors. We made a couple and they punished us.
"We had to make a tactical change today. Our keeper is injured. We had to take a defender out. We moved a forward to defender. But the girls scrapped and fought and did everything I asked."

Berberian out

Junior goalkeeper Sarah Berberian couldn't play because of a broken hand. Though she did take part in the regular season finale against Central High with the injury, doctors wouldn't clear her for this one.
That put sophomore defender Kayla Reiss between the pipes, where she put together a respectable performance making three saves on the night.
Nature Coast (12-7-4) actually took a 1-0 advantage midway through the first half, as Taylor Agricola headed in a free kick by Cassy Freeman. That marked the junior's team-high 19th goal of the season.
Nearly 11 minutes later, Gulf (17-8-1) knotted it up when Faith Schmidt took a cross from Chelsea Foster and tucked it into the right corner of the net.
Felicia Bell of the Lady Bucs broke the tie in the 58th minute, on a high kick over Reiss' head off a throw-in by Shelby Grafton.
With less than two minutes remaining, Foster scored on a breakaway to complete the scoring.
Gulf moved on to a semifinal match-up with second seed and defending district champion Springstead High on Thursday.
"Just perseverance I guess," Gulf Head Coach Shari Schau said. "We stayed with it. It was a well-played game. I thought both teams were ready to play. All three of our games this season were well played. It was basically a 2-1 game until the very end.
"I think it's (the mastery over Nature Coast) just this year. I've got an experienced team. He's got a younger team than we have. I think maybe we just kept our composure. We were frustrated early with their offside trap. We got our composure again at halftime."
Unable to conquer their nemesis, the Lady Sharks had to settle for what still marks their best campaign.
"We had a good season," Bennett said. "I'm really proud of the way we played this year and how we progressed. We lost games this season because I wanted them to pass the ball but in the long run that's going to help them.
"…It was our most successful season ever. We've gotten 4-5 wins better every single year. Next year should be our big season."
 
GULF 3, NATURE COAST 1
NCT 1 0 — 1
GUL 1 2 — 3

Goals – Ta. Agricola (NCT); Schmidt, Bell, Foster (GF).
Assists – Freeman (NCT); Foster, Grafton, Roddenberg (GF).
Shots – NCT 4, GF 7.
Saves – NCT: K. Reiss 3; GF: Fellman 3.
Blue cards – none.
Yellow cards – none.
Red cards – none.
Records – Nature Coast (12-7-4), Gulf (17-8-1).

Sports writer Chris Bernhardt Jr. can be reached at (352) 544-5288 or online at cbernhardt@hernandotoday.com

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