More News

After upending the resurgent Wildcats, 1-0, Saturday, the Barons (8-4) used a goal by Rachel Ruda late in the second overtime period to defeat visiting Whitman (5-3) by a 2-1 count Tuesday. The Vikings were coming off an impressive 2-1 win over Quince Orchard Monday.

"It was a big one," said Barons coach Amy Wood of the victory. "It was nice to win that. I'm not sure how many shots we had, but we controlled the game a little bit more. [Whitman] hung in there and played really, really tough defense."

Clare Becker, who scored the match's first goal in the opening half, set up the game-winning score with a cross from right to left, where Ruda tipped the ball in for the team's fourth-straight win following a 2-1 loss to Damascus.

Vikings goalkeeper Hillary Wall was particularly stingy Tuesday night, saving what Wood believes were three likely goals.

"Their goalie was fabulous," she said. "There can't be a better goalie in the county."

One of those stops came in the second overtime: a diving stick save on a ball that traveled from the right of the goal all the way to the left corner. Following that save, Whitman took the ball right back down the field, where it came up just short when Melanie Leas hit a pass from Maya Herm just wide of the goal.

"My goalkeeper was fantastic," Whitman coach Mary Pat Veihmeyer said. "She had some absolutely unbelievable saves."

Trailing 1-0 at halftime on Becker's goal, the Vikings tied the match in the second half on a goal by Celeste Pilato, who knocked in a loose ball inside the scoring circle about midway through.

"I'm really proud of what the kids did," said Veihmeyer, whose squad defeated Quince Orchard (7-2-1) on the strength of goals by Stephanie Dorman and Pilato and 13 saves from Wall. "They're on a roll right now. I think they're getting better every single game."