Kortney Kox scored the game winning goal in the Fleming Knights’ 3-0 victory over the host Centennial Colts Wednesday in OCAA women’s soccer action.
Michelle O’Brien and Brittney Sero also scored for the Knights.
Centennial falls to 2-7-2 after their final game of the season, while Fleming remains undefeated with an 8-0-2 record. The Knights still have one game remaining before the playoffs.
Despite the loss, Colts coach Diarmuid O’Connor was pleased with the effort shown by his girls.
“Today was one of our better games even though we lost 3-0,” he said.
“We played a team that is highly ranked and probably one of the favourites going into the playoffs. We had enough chances to make the game close so I’m proud of the way they played this evening.”
Fleming dominated possession from the start and had two good scoring chances in the first 10 minutes.
Fleming’s Abi Davidson got behind a defender and had a clear shot on goal in the sixth minute, but Centennial keeper Amanda Shand made the save near the right post.
Two minutes later, Fleming’s Christina Roccia tried to score on a turn-around kick in the box, but Shands stopped the ball once again, keeping the game scoreless.
In the fifteenth minute, Centennial had possession deep in their own zone and had two chances to clear it out, but Fleming kept it in.
Luckily for Centennial, the Knights couldn’t capitalize. The sequence ended when Kox’s shot went over the upright.
Kox eventually scored on 23 minutes to give Fleming a 1-0 lead. Her blast from the right side of the field went over Shand’s head and into the left side of the net.
Ten minutes later, Sero almost doubled the lead with a deflection off a corner kick, but Shands kept the ball out with her left foot.
Before the game, O’Connor emphasized the importance of not giving up an early goal.
“The game plan was to keep it tight for a while, which we did,” O’Connor said. “We were hoping to go into the half with the game tied at zero. We were down 1-0, but still were on track with the game plan.”
O’Brien made it 2-0 in the 59th minute when she connected on a cross deep in the penalty area.
It only took them six minutes to go up 3-0.
Sero blasted a free kick past Shand for Fleming’s third goal in the 65th minute.
Centennial’s best chance came in the 87th minute when Dana MacKenzie and Fleming keeper Emily Clute were in pursuit of a loose ball.
MacKenzie won the race, but shot it wide of the goal.
“I wouldn’t find fault on the girls’ effort tonight,” O’Connor said. “They gave 100 per cent and that’s really all you can ask.”
