ASHLAND —
After netting 20 goals the previous two games, Ashland came up empty-handed against Huntington St. Joseph in the first half Thursday night despite numerous scoring chances.
St. Joe junior goalkeeper Rachel Lee could only keep the LadyCats at bay for so long, however.
Charity Collins connected from long range six minutes after the break and Ashland went on to win 3-0.
“The first half, it was a case of their goalkeeper playing a wonderful game and us having trouble finishing,” Ashland coach E.B. Lowman said. “We kept knocking on the door.”
Leave it to Collins to be the first one through.
The sophomore midfielder drilled a straightaway shot from about 25 yards out that glanced off a leaping Lee’s fingertips andunder the crossbar.
“Charity is one of the difference-makers on our team,” Lowman said. “She’s a tremendous presence in the midde and reads the game really well. She’s as good without the ball as with the ball.”
Collins has scored at least one goal in all six Ashland games so far, and now has 13 goals on the season.
“I’m not surprised,” St. Joe coach Dave Castle said. “She can definitely light it up. She isn’t afraid to shoot, and most of them are on frame.”
Ashland, playing without injured goalkeeper/midfielder Aidan Young for the third consecutive game, made it 2-0 with just under 10 minutes remaining. Sophomore Ragan Neil scored her first career goal by cleaning up a loose ball in front of the net after Lee deflected Kayla Brown’s shot.
Sarah Hudson converted a penalty kick with 5:42 on the scoreboard clock to complete the LadyCats’ scoring.
“We found the net in the second half,” Collins said. “We kept crashing the goal. It strung together in the end.”
Ashland improved to 5-1. Collins, Hudson, Allie Slone and Young are the only returning starters from last year’s regional runner-up team.
“We were a very young team starting out the season,” Collins said. “I think we have improved very much. We have a bunch of room to grow.”
The LadyCats continue to adjust to the absence of one of their top players. Young, who suffered a high ankle sprain last week against Russell, watched from the sideline against St. Joe. The team hopes to have her back on the field before postseason play.
“They are telling us three weeks,” Lowman said.
Ashland sustained another injury Thursday as freshman Ashlee Salley hurt her left knee in the second half and had to be helped off the field.
The LadyCats dominated possession from the outset and outshot a young St. Joe squad 28-2.
“Ashland is a class program,” Castle said. “They play with intensity and composure.”
St. Joe slipped to 0-4-1, including a tie against Cabell Midland and loss to second-ranked Winfield. The Irish started three juniors, with the rest of the lineup consisting of sophomores and freshmen.
“A lot of them are learning new concepts, and new formations,” Castle said. “We’re showing improvement in those areas.”
Ashland heads into a tough, four-game stretch beginning this weekend with Bourbon County’s Kentucky Bank Labor Day Classic. The LadyCats are scheduled to play twice Saturday — at noon against Madison Central, and 8 p.m. against Scott.
Sunday’s 3 p.m. opponent is Bourbon County.
After returning, Ashland plays host to Winfield on Thursday.
“We’ve got a rough road to hoe,” Lowman said. “We won that tournament the last two years, so we are going to have a big target on us.”
ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.
Local Sports
Collins, LadyCats break through in second half
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Locals struggle to make impact
Some days you are the windshield and some days you are the bug.
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Rough Ending
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Local track and field athletes are ready to try to carry region competition success onto the state stage.
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