MICDS Forges Way Into Title Game With 1-Nil Win Over Ferocious Clayton

Little did MICDS know, but when Amber Jones scored a first-half goal on a rebound from Caroline Militello, that would be the only score of the 1-nil win over a feisty bunch of Clayton Greyhounds in the semifinals of the Class 2, District tournament at Incarnate Word.

It was a torturous hot day (for both teams); the grass was tall and scruffy; the Rams were pre-occupied with final exams and there were too many games in too few days. An illogical reasoning would do.

More game photos on the Ladue-Frontenac Facebook page.

“We didn’t play our best game. We won,” surmised coach Michael Black. The coach stayed around to scout the opponents for the title game, Thursday, 4 p.m. at IWA. The girls had enough soccer on a 90 degree day, and left.

Turns out, the opponent will be the host Red Knights of IWA, who smacked down Ladue easily, 4-1 in the late game.

Jones had nothing but kind words for Clayton’s goal keeper Sarah Aiello, a field player pressed into keeping duties.

“We faced her last week (MICDS won 7-0); she played well in the second half,” said Jones.

“We’re excited to play for the championship game. We are motivated to get back out there and win that game,” said the sophomore forward.

Militello made it clear for any doubters, “that was probably not our best game. I think the heat took it out of us. I don’t want to make excuses. Overall, we got the win,” said the junior midfielder.

Black had his take on the game. “I told the girls, the last time we played them, everything went right for us.”

He gave great credit to Clayton’s coaching staff for mixing up the lineup. They moved midfielder Meg Sutter to sweeper, and that move paid off in spades.

“Their whole defense played very well, and stopped us often,” said the Rams’ coach.

Clayton coach Tom Redmond was very proud of his team’s effort. They finished 11-10-0 this season.

“We played hard from start to finish. We were a little tired in the second half, but we put some late pressure on them in that half.

We made some radical changes to the lineup. That paid off,” he said. I’m particularly proud of our four seniors. The kids did great and we are proud of what they did.”

Liz Lewis recorded the shutout, but was tested seldom during the course of 80 minutes.

MICDS carries a 17-2-1 record into the Thursday district title game