Kayla Foster and Kyndal Zicker score 2-1 victory over Bixby Lady Spartans
/Story and photo by: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief
The Varsity girls have amassed a 4-1 record this season, shutting out three opponents and mercy-ruling East Central 10-0 in only 23:00. Their only loss is 1-0 to Metro Christian (4-1). Before Spring break the girls rebounded from the Metro Christian loss with a 5-0 shutout of the Enid Pacers (2-1) and a 2-1 victory over the Bixby Lady Spartans (1-2)
Kayla Foster has been the driving force in the last few games, scoring hat tricks against East Central and Enid. Foster, a senior Missouri University of Science and Technology signee, scored one goal in the Tuesday night victory, and Kyndal Zicker, a junior, scored one as well.
It was a slow starter at the Bixby High School Soccer Complex. Zicker was deep in the box 4:00 in and actually got past the keeper, but some fancy footwork from a Spartan defender managed to sneak the ball back out to avert the Sandite score.
Kayla Foster took a sweet shot with 14:00 left but the keeper got a fantastic diving save and Sand Springs wouldn’t get another look till the second half. The Lady Spartans had a strong tailwind in their favor and spent the bulk of the first half in Sandite territory, but was unable to capitalize thanks to four great saves by Abigail Banks.
The second half should have been to the Sandites’ favor due to the wind, but it was actually the Lady Spartans who brought the strong offensive press, getting several close looks in the first ten minutes. Ally Spriggs took a hard close shot at the Sandite net that Banks barely deflected but quickly snatched up.
Mia Kitterman took an unguarded shot off an assist from older sister Ashlyn Kitterman that went slightly wide. Ashlyn Kitterman raced the keeper to the ball mere yards from the goal minutes later but was beat out.
11:00 into the half Brooklyn Eardley set up Foster deep in the box but the keeper dove right into the kick for the save. Less than a minute later, however, Foster finally got her shot and the Lady Sandites took the first lead of the game.
The veil over the goals had been lifted and next it was Ashlyn Kitterman finally finding her way into the goal with the game-tying shot seven minutes later. Zicker reclaimed the lead for Sand Springs 1:30 later and the Spartans would spend the next several minutes fighting desperately for a goal. Foster sent a free kick right into the keeper’s arms and the Spartans refused to give the ball back up.
Banks narrowly snagged a shot at the corner by Spriggs at 22:52 and Ashlyn Kitterman sent a hard high shot off the corner just three minutes later. The Spartans got off another pair of shots inside the final 10:00 and Banks got her fifth and sixth saves of the half. The Sandites kept the ball in midfield for the duration and nearly finished 3-1 as Zicker took another shot moments near the buzzer, but the ball went wide and the girls settled for a 2-1 victory and their fourth win of the season.
