By Jordan J. Michael

VOORHEESVILLE –– The Ladybirds’ soccer team suffered a 6-0 loss to Ravena the first time around. They had a re-match on Monday.

“This game is to see where we are at as the season winds down,” said Coach Joe Santos.

The score was tied, 1-1, at halftime, but Voorheesville let Ravena pull away for a 4-to-1 final. “We had trouble moving the ball in the second half,” Santos said.

Voorheesville got the first tally at 27:20 when Caitlin Abelseth received an overhead pass from Michaela Conway and put it through the net. “Abelseth is a speedy playmaker who has the ability to score lots of goals,” said Santos.

The game stopped when Voorheesville’s Jenn Belgiovine got kicked in the back of the knee. She was down for several minutes and had to be helped off the field. No penalty was called.

Ravena answered back when Emily Scott ripped a shot past the Ladybirds’ goalie, Michelle Thamsen, at 15:28. Voorheesville couldn’t clear the box in time and the game was knotted, 1-1.

“We had a not-so-good season last year, so I’ve seen much improvement,” said Santos. “We’re staying in games and that is a lifting aspect.”

Thamsen punched away a sure goal by Ravena’s Ashley Wilson after she took an uncontested shot in front of the goal. “I saw a real difference from playing them the first time,” said Thamsen. “We’ve learned how to co-exist with each other better as the season’s moved along.”

The two teams had an evenly matched first half with equal times of possession. Mckenzie Blake replaced Thamsen in goal for the second half.

At 26:04 of the second half, Wilson was fouled in the box and was granted a penalty kick for Ravena. Blake dove to her left, but couldn’t make the stop and Ravena led, 2-1.

“There was a defensive lapse on that penalty,” Santos said. “I tell my girls that you can’t get too close to an opponent in the box because you might knock them over.”

After being boisterous throughout the match, Coach Santos was handed a yellow card for dissent, after arguing a call. “Ravena kicked the ball back to their goalie,” he said. “That’s an illegal play.”

The game was getting more and more physical by the minute. Ravena took a 3-to-1 lead after Chrissy Shepard knocked in the ball off a corner kick by Brynn Feeney, with 17:37 left in the game.

“That third goal was a back-breaker,” Santos said. “That was the fourth time this year that we’ve stood and watched as our opponent scores on a corner kick.”

Voorheesville started the second half with ample pressure, but seemed to run out of steam and was frequently beat to the ball.

Wilson scored on a break away to seal the game for Ravena. The through ball split the Ladybird defense and Wilson looked like she was off sides, but it wasn’t called. Ravena won, 4 to 1.

“The penalty kick and the corner really deflated my soccer team,” said Santos.

Voorheesville drops to 4-8 on the year with four more games to play. “We’re staying aggressive on the field and all these players will be back next year,” Santos concluded.