The Ponte Vedra girls’ soccer team had a good week on the road this past week. The girls traveled to Menendez for the district playoffs and had little trouble bringing home the District 3A championship. Ponte Vedra shut out both Matanzas, 2-0, and Clay, 3-0, to earn the title.
Except for a breakaway shot by Piper Dotsikas that rattled off the crossbar at the 38-minute mark, Matanzas and Ponte Vedra played cautiously with neither group having a distinct advantage. Finally with less than two minutes left in the half, Angeline Daly scorched a ball past the helpless Matanzas keeper to put Ponte Vedra in front 1-0.
Nine minutes into the second half Daly blasted another shot into the left corner of the cage from 30 yards out that the Matanzas keeper had absolutely no chance on. From that point on the Shark defense took over and blanked their high scoring opponent.
The game for the district title matched Ponte Vedra against Clay and gave the Sharks a chance for revenge. During the regular season Clay tied Ponte Vedra 1-1 on a disputed penalty kick. This time Clay was never in the game and the game’s only penalty kick belonged to Ponte Vedra.
The Sharks’ Kristin Sandifer headed a loose ball out of a crowd in front of the goal past the Clay keeper who was out of position, scoring the only goal the Sharks would need.
With seven minutes left in the half, Dotsikas scored an unusual goal bending her corner kick high and behind the keeper. No one on either team touched the ball thus Dotsikas was credited with an unassisted goal on the corner kick.
Ponte Vedra was awarded a penalty kick when Marissa Reinker was pulled down in the box attempting to convert a pass from Abby Miller. Julia Worman made good on the kick, and Ponte Vedra went home with the District championship.
The Sharks advance to the regional playoff round at home against Paxon tonight, Thurs. Jan. 21, at 7 p.m.
