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Hernando Today

Hess' Second-Half Goal Seals the Deal

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: January 21, 2009

NEW PORT RICHEY - In most sports, there's an old adage that says it's tough to beat the same team three times in one season.
On Wednesday night at Booster Stadium, second-seeded Land O'Lakes Gators found out that the saying is true.
Land O'Lakes goalkeeper Tara Marshall made a save on a penalty kick by Ashley Custodio before the Gators Andrea Hess scored the lone goal of the game two minutes later to give the Gators a pulsating 1-0 win over No. 3 seed Central in a Class 5A, District 7 Tournament semifinal at Ridgewood High School.
After a scoreless first half where LOL out-shot the Lady Bears, 2-0, the 6-11-4 Central team got the first real chance to score a goal when in the 59th minute, LOL defender Arielle Le-Tran pulled down Samantha Berberette in the penalty box resulting in a penalty kick.
Central senior Custodio took the penalty boot but that's when Marshall moved to her left to make the save.
Two minutes later, Alexis Villar fielded a pass on the left wing and sent a perfect cross to teammate Hess, who beat Central goalie Brooke Wardlow to the upper left corner for the game-winner.
"We had chances but they took it too us the whole game," said Gator coach Vicky King, whose team had beaten Central twice this year by scores of 2-0 and 3-0. "They say that the third time beating a team is the hardest. And we did not underestimate them tonight."
Following the game, Central Head Coach Amy Ellis, who dipped 0-10-1 lifetime against LO'L, said her team played well. "All 11 of them played as a unit. My girls played above and beyond, and that's what I wanted."
The game had few offensive chances as the game time temperatures hovered in the 30s.
On the night, Land O'Lakes finished with just five shots while Central countered with four.
Despite the loss, Coach Ellis said her team performed admirably.
"My girls did their job tonight," she praised. "We've made tremendous strides, especially in the last half of the season. We just didn't get our shots off. They executed in the end and we didn't."

Land O'Lakes 1, Central 0
CEN 0 0 -- 0
LOL 0 1 -- 1
Goals - Hess (LOL).
Assists - Villar (LOL).
Shots on goal - CEN 4, LOL 5.
Saves – CEN: Wardlow 3; LOL: Marshall 3.
Yellow cards – LOL: Hess.
Blue cards - none.
Red cards - none.
Records - Central (6-11-4), Land O'Lakes (13-9-0).

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