The Oakville Senior High School girls’ soccer team prevailed 3-2 Saturday over previously unbeaten Eureka in the championship game of the 20th annual Catholic Youth Council/Joe Carenza Memorial Tournament at the Anheuser-Busch Center in Fenton.
Oakville’s victory over Eureka marked the Tigers’ (10-8, 4-4 Suburban West) sixth consecutive win after losing eight of their first 12 games to start the season.
“We asked the girls jokingly what the difference was and they said that they were tired of losing,” Oakville head coach Dave Robben said. “We had a streak prior to our win streak where we had lost five in a row. So this has been a good week.”
Eureka (14-1, 6-0 Suburban South) and Oakville were scoreless at halftime, but it was Kristen Dulle who got the Tigers on the scoreboard with a 1-0 lead just five minutes into the second half.
Andrea Boone received the assist on Dulle’s goal. Dulle has one goal and one assist this season.
“Boone served a long ball into the box and it took a high bounce,” Robben said. “Kristen ran onto the ball and headed it over the keeper. She’s finding her game at the right time of the year.”
Roughly 13 minutes later, Oakville took a 2-0 lead on a goal by Lauren Fussell with Sara Bommarito getting the assist.
Fussell has seven goals and seven assists this season.
“Sara had the ball at the top of the penalty box and she knocked the ball back to Lauren,” Robben said. “Lauren took the shot from about 25 yards out and the keeper really had no chance at it.”
Oakville’s third and final goal of the game came from Ashley Burton. Ellie Growe was credited for the assist. Burton leads Oakville with nine goals and four assists this season.
“Ellie crossed the ball across the midfield and Ashley collected the ball about 25 yards out,” Robben said. “She took the shot at an angle and ended up hitting the corner of the goal.”
But Eureka would not go away quietly as Torie Goode and Jamie Junge nailed one goal each into the back of the Oakville net in the final two minutes of the game.
Oakville returns to action this week as host of the Oakville Soccer Invitational.
Oakville was set to play DuBourg Tuesday — after press time. The Tigers will play Gibault at 7 p.m. today — May 7 — and Francis Howell Central at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“The idea is to get some teams in that we have a connection with,” Robben said. “It’s a round-robin tournament where you’re going to be guaranteed three games and the winner will be decided on points.”
