Rosewood nets conference-opening shutout in soccer

By Brandon Davis
Published in Sports on March 11, 2016 1:48 PM

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bdavis@newsargus.com

Five players scored for Rosewood Thursday evening.

Leah Duran, Rebecca Fitzmaurice, Lexi Mercer, Ada Rivera -- and an opponent -- all knocked in a goal to give the Eagles a 5-2 victory over Carolina 1-A Conference rival Hobbton.

Mercer fired a shot past Hobbton's goalkeeper, and the ball deflected off a Wildcats' leg, which lifted the Eagles to a 2-0 lead in the first half.

Hobbton looked for redemption with a free kick. Wildcats freshman Jovanna Zapata took a shot over defenders, and the ball flew past Rosewood goalkeeper Jala Hollowman's hand.

The Eagles started attacking the goal.

Mercer passed the ball to junior Hannah Daniels. Daniels kicked the ball straight to the net, but Hobbton goalkeeper Celine Marrison denied the goal.

Fitzmaurice curved the ball on a kick to the goal. Marrison stood in the way.

Daniels dribbled to the goal and assisted Fitzmaurice on a shot past Marrison to give the Eagles the third goal of the first half.

"I think the goalkeeper (Marrison) was very good," Rosewood head coach Kevin Martin said. "I think we took so many shots and it eventually went in."

Two minutes into the second half, Hobbton set up for a free kick. The Wildcats scored, but play stopped after Martin argued the free kick.

Officials continued the game, and Hobbton trailed Rosewood, 3-2.

"They (Wildcats) had four players standing on the goal line so they had an offside position," Martin said. "You can be on an offiside position as long as you don't interfere with play. If you are standing on the goal line, you are clearly getting an advantage from being in that position. It also throws off our goalie because she can't see the ball because you're standing in front of her."

The Eagles kept attacking.

Fitzmaurice received a drop off at midfield and passed the ball to junior Payton Lane who kicked the ball to Mercer. Mercer dribbled through the Hobbton defense and ran around Marrison for the fourth goal of the evening.

Mercer threw the ball in bounds with 15 minutes left in the game. Sophomore Ada Rivera stood between the goal and midfield. She launched the ball over Marrison's head.

"Usually she (Mercer) scores at least two goals a game is her average," Martin said. "Apart from her goal, she brings so much to the team with her passing, just her aggression and chasing the ball down and getting the ball back. She doesn't a lot more than just score goals."

Rosewood (2-2-0 overall, 1-0-0) travels to Eastern Wayne on March 14.