The Blanchester Lady Cats varsity soccer team defeated Felicity by a score of 2-1 on Thursday night.  Blan dominated possession in the first half of the game but were kept from scoring until senior forward Morgan Swinderman sent a bullet in for a score with 12 minutes left in the half off an assist from Julia Howard.  The score sat at 1-0 at halftime. Felicity came out attacking in the second half and eventually evened the score at 1-1 with under 20 minutes remaining in the game.  As the half wound down, the Cats began a frantic attack and Swinderman struck again with under 4 minutes to go to get the game winning goal off an assist from Bella Cook.  Ana Hosler had 3 saves in goal for the Wildcats on the evening.  With the victory, the Cats improve their record to 7-7 and to 6-2 in conference play.

-Kurt Ballinger
The Blanchester Varsity girls soccer team defeated Georgetown tonight by a score of 2-1
The Lady Cats got off to a slow start in their first game without star sweeper Audrey Jordan who suffered in injury in the Cats' previous contest and had difficulty controlling possession for most of the first half.  The Lady G-Men finally capitalized with 15 minutes remaining in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into halftime.  In the second half a reinvigorated Lady Cats squad came out with an intensity that was missing in the first half and immediately tied up the game after only 1 minute and 30 seconds of play in the second half.  Sophomore defender Jasmine Maloney lofted a long ball over the top of the Georgetown defense that found a racing Morgan Swinderman as she buried the shot for her 5th goal of the year.  After continuing to press the attack, the Cats struck again off a corner kick only 9 minutes later.  Swinderman placed the corner kick to the backside of the goal where junior forward Julia Howard was waiting to head it in for the go ahead score that would be the decisive goal of the match.  The rest of the half was not without drama however, as senior keeper Ana Hosler made several great plays to turn away several Georgetown one on one attacks and ended the game with 15 saves.  Freshman Emma Gundler provided a boost for the Cats in her first game back from injury this season, and freshman McKenzie Hamm also made key plays for the Cats down the stretch.  The Cats improved their record to 4-2 on the season and take on Fayetteville on Tuesday night.

-Kurt Ballinger
BHS girls post second straight shutout win 2-0

BLANCHESTER - The Blanchester girls soccer team posted its second straight shutout, this time a 2-0 win over Felicity in Southern Buckeye Conference action Thursday night.

Ana Hosler had eight saves in goal for the Lady Wildcats. Abie Howell had a "standout game on defense to help preserve the second shutout for the 'Cats in the past two games," coach Kurt Ballinger said.

Blanchester dominated possession in the first half but was unable to score until late in the first half, Ballinger said.

"Sophomore Audrey Jordan weaved her way through the Cardinal defense and laid off a pass to junior Julia Howard who powered a shot that found the top post," said Ballinger.

The second half began in much the same way as the first with the Lady Wildcats controlling the ball but unable to score.

However, Morgan Swinderman, celebrating her 18th birthday, Ballinger pointed out, took a pass from classmate Sam Parker and added an insurance goal to make it 2-0. The goal was the third of the season for Swinderman.



BHS girls soccer beats CNE 1-0

OWENSVILLE - Morgan Swinderman's goal late in the first half backed the shutout goalkeeping of Ana Hosler as the Blanchestergirls soccer team defeated Clermont Northeastern 1-0 in a Southern Buckeye Conference match at CNE.

"The game featured two well-matched teams and the first half was a back and forth battle for possession," said BHS coach Kurt Ballinger.

Ballinger called the game "a tense early season matchup."

Hosler made 16 saves in goal for Blanchester, helped by a strong defense in front of the senior keeper.

"Led by sweeper Audrey Jordan, the defensive lineup of Jasmine Maloney, Abie Howell and Brooke Gibbons flew all over the field and senior captain Sam Parker dominated the midfield," said Ballinger.

Swinderman's goal came with approximately five minutes remaining in the first half. Junior Julia Howard sent a ball into the box that Swinderman "sent to the bottom corner of the net for a clinical finish," said Ballinger.

Ballinger said both teams threatened but were unable to score the rest of the game.

Blanchester is now 2-0 on the year.

Lady Cats open with 4-1 win over GHS

GEORGETOWN -The Blanchester girls soccer team opened its season Thursday night with a 4-1 win over Georgetown in Southern Buckeye Conference action at GHS.

Coach Kurt Ballinger called the win "convincing" as the Lady Wildcats battled a weather delay in addition to the Lady G-Men.

Morgan Swinderman had a goal and an assist for Blanchester. Swinderman's first goal came two minutes into the game, a "bullet shot," Ballinger said, into the upper portion of the goal.

After a 2-0 halftime lead, Julia Howard "perfectly bent a corner kick that curled past" the Georgetown keeper, said Ballinger, for a 3-0 led.

"The Lady 'Cats played a strong game defensively, led by sophomore Audrey Jordan and senior goalkeeper Ana Hosler," said Ballinger.

BHS reserve girls soccer blanks LM 1-0

BLANCHESTER - The Blanchester reserve girls soccer team defeated Little Miami 1-0 Monday at Barbour Memorial Field.

BHS freshman goalkeeper Chloe Caplinger "starred" in goal, coach Kurt Ballinger said, and made 10 saves on the night.

Freshman McKenzie Miller put the lone goal of the game past the Lady Panthers goalkeeper with 21 minutes remaining in the match.

With just over 10 minutes to play, Little Miami was awarded a penalty kick but Caplinger "made a brilliant save," Ballinger noted, to preserve the shutout and victory.

Ballinger said freshmen Cassidy Todd, McKenzie Hamm, Whitney Moler and Savana Greene all played well forBlanchester.

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