Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Elmore scores 4 as Salem romps
The Spartans set up a fifth meeting with River Ridge District rival Hidden Valley.
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At least by its most recent standards, the Salem girls soccer team's 4-0 victory Tuesday night was an absolute cakewalk.
After winning last week's Region IV tournament semifinal and championship games on penalty kicks on back-to-back nights, the Spartans (18-3-2) dispatched Lord Botetourt (14-7) with relative ease in the Group AA quarterfinal played at Spartan Field. Salem advances to play River Ridge District foe Hidden Valley (20-2-1) Friday at noon at Radford University in the state semifinals.
Friday's match will be the fifth meeting this season between Salem and Hidden Valley. Salem is 2-1-1 against the Titans; Hidden Valley has not lost to anyone else.
The Spartans benefited from an outstanding game Tuesday by sophomore forward Kim Elmore, who scored all four of Salem's goals.
"I had a hat trick as a freshman," Elmore said. "It's a great feeling that never gets old."
The Cavaliers had won 10 consecutive games until losing the Region III championship game Saturday to Jefferson Forest.
"I think we just ran out of gas," Botetourt coach Jamie Bednarek said.
In the game's eighth minute, Elmore scored when junior forward Clare Sexton fed her with a pass behind the defense. Elmore raced to the ball, dribbled almost 30 yards with several Botetourt defenders in pursuit, and then beat Cavs keeper Kristyn Brogan.
With 8:46 left in the first half, Elmore used some deft footwork inside the box to fake out Brogan and scored unassisted to put her team up 2-0.
"We changed our formation at the half," said Bednarek, trying to jump-start his team's offense. "I told the girls to play with heart and go to the ball aggressively. Unfortunately, they didn't do that."
Elmore's two second-half scores came within a three-minute span midway through the period. With 16:47 left, Elmore was the beneficiary of some fancy passing between junior midfielder Laura Buriak and senior forward Molly Satterfield.
After Buriak shredded the defense moving down the left side of the field, she found Satterfield in front of the goal. Satterfield's kick hit the crossbar, but Elmore headed the rebound into the net. Her final goal came on a nice assist from senior midfielder Megan Kennedy.
"She sent me," said Elmore, who in a fashion similar to her first goal, caught up to the ball and then dribbled about one-third of the length of the field en route to the score.
"We came out and played the way we needed to," Salem coach Josh Jones said. "We finished well; we executed offensively."
Salem fired 26 shots toward Brogan, while Spartan keeper Bre Kawa was hardly tested.
Bednarek emphasized his team's overall season performance rather than concentrating Tuesday night's elimination.
"Right before spring break we were 4-5. We could have folded our tent but instead we went to work, won 10 games in a row and avenged earlier losses to Staunton River and Harrisonburg," Bednarek said.
"We won our [Blue Ridge] district tournament and finished as regional runner-up. I'm very proud of our team. It's one of the best I've ever coached."
Now Salem turns its attention to Hidden Valley, a team it has played the past two weekends with mixed results, losing the district tournament championship 3-1 before winning the regional title 2-1.
"We know how they play," Elmore said.
