Lady Barons try to overcome setbacks with positives in Florida

The Brewton-Parker College women's soccer team had a tough time both on and off the field when the Lady Barons made a swing through central Florida last week for two games in the Sunshine State.

The Lady Barons had lost their season opener Aug. 26 at home to Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference foe Reinhardt College 4-0.

Their first game of the weekend road trip was against Webber International University took place on Friday, a day after the team warmed up with a scrimmage on Clearwater Beach followed by a dip in the Gulf of Mexico.

After motoring across the state to Babson Park, Brewton-Parker came out as what coach Bill Glass described as being "a little flat," giving up three goals in the first half without tallying a response.

"During halftime, team captains Karen Taylor (junior) of Burlington, Ontario and (senior) Kendra Sewell from Canton rallied the Lady Barons, and the result was a much stronger defensive effort in the second half along with some shots on Webber's goal from freshman Brittany Evans of Louisville, Ga., and sophomore Avianne Tobias of Toca, Trinidad," said Glass, whose team allowed just one second-half goal for a 4-0 loss.

The Lady Barons then traveled over to Florida's East Coast for a game in St. Augustine on Saturday. A stomach virus that was going around along with a lack of substitutes left the team in a bad way for that match-up against Flagler University, and the team suffered an 8-0 setback on the field.

"The score would have been even worse without the heroics of goalkeeper Michelle McRaven of Brunswick, who blocked 14 shots," Glass said.

Several players who Glass said are normally found on the attacking side of the equation were pressed into service in the back including (junior) Kelly Mosely of Appling and (sophomore) Ashley Meyer from Alma, Ontario, who along with Taylor assisted Sewell, "a stalwart defender," in turning back many Flagler attacks.

Glass said the Lady Barons utilized the athletic facilities offered by Flagler and got rejuvenated for the ride home.

"Spirits were high on the return journey as the players all knew that they had done their best under unusually adverse circumstances," said Glass, whose team plays matches Thursday and Friday in the Huntingdon College tournament in Montgomery, Ala.

The Lady Barons play Huntingdon on Thursday and Clearwater Christian College on Friday, then will travel to Thomasville next Tuesday, Sept. 9, for a match against Thomas University.

-BPC-
 

Brewton-Parker College freshman Erin Bower (No. 4) of Waycross and junior Karen Taylor (7) of Burlington, Ontario, are in hot pursuit defensively against Reinhardt College freshman Jennifer Kracy (17) in the team's season-opening, Georgia-Alabama-Carolina Conference soccer match on the Brewton-Parker field Aug. 26. (Photo by Charles Conkin)