Cal-Mum nips Kendall in Section V Class C state qualifier contest

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s Maya Rutland tries to get a shot past Cal-Mum goalie Megan Little during this evening’s Section V Class C state qualifier game at Hilton.

Clashing this evening for the third straight year with a sectional title on the line, Kendall and Cal-Mum for a third straight year saw a lone goal decide the issue.

After trading one goal victories in the Class CC championship game the past two years, the two teams met this time with the Section V Class C berth in the state playoffs at stake.

This time is was a lone goal in the last six minutes that decided the issue earning Cal-Mum a narrow 1-0 win over previously unbeaten Kendall advancing the Lady Raiders to the Far West Regionals.

Claudia Haut scored the lone goal for Cal-Mum with just 6:54 remaining off a direct kick as Autumn Jeffery earned the assist.

Kendall did try to mount a late rally but the Lady Eagles last good scoring attempt with 3:40 to go saw a shot sail just wide of the Cal-Mum goal.

“We had a lot of good opportunities, especially in the second half, but we just couldn’t finish,” said Kendall Coach Pam Beres. “They really got that one good scoring opportunity and they made the most of it. We knew it was going to be a very competitive game and it certainly was.”

Kendall goalie Jenna Jacob goes high to knock away a shot.

The teams took turns applying pressure in the first half but neither could sustain an attack.

Kendall goalie Jenna Jacob did come up with two big saves during that stretch, first on a diving stop in the first five minutes and later on a leaping save in the final minute.

Kendall nearly connected at the outset of the second half but Cal-Mum goalie Megan Little came out to stop the breakaway with a diving stop.

Cal-Mum then just missed on a direct kick attempt two minutes later. The Lady Raiders kept the pressure on but Jacob turned back the threat with a sliding stop.

The momentum continued to swing back and forth as Kendall then put on good pressure but Little came up with a couple of key saves for the Lady Raiders, the second on a quick reaction grab of a shot from close range. That stretch of pressure by the Lady Eagles included a corner opportunity with 14 minutes to go.

The next, and deciding, swing of momentum though belonged to Cal-Mum which, after first missing on one corner opportunity with 12 minutes to go, kept the pressure on finally cashing in off a direct kick with the deciding goal by Haut.

Kendall’s Taylor Rutland goes high trying to head a corner against Cal-Mum defender Maddie Lowe.

The loss was the first of the season for Kendall which finishes at 19-1 as Cal-Mum advances with an 18-2-1 record.

“It’s disappointing to end the season like that but the kids have a lot to be proud of as they had a really good season,” said Beres whose Lady Eagles captured a third straight Genesee Region League Division 1 title and a second straight Section V Class C2 championship.

Kendall had nipped Cal-Mum 2-1 in double overtime last year in the Class CC title contest. The Lady Eagles win avenged a 1-0 loss to the Lady Raiders in the 2013 CC title game.

Kendall also dropped a narrow 2-1 decision to Avon in last year’s Class C state qualifier at Hilton.

Kendall’s Taylor ReQua battles for possession of the ball with Cal-Mum’s Maddie Shoemaker.