Gators nearly stage second half comeback against Veritas Lions

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

The Veritas Lions have had few hiccups during the course of the 2022-23 season, currently holding onto a 13-3-4 record, a third place standing in the LIS and the No. 2 spot in the mo st recent VISAA Division II polls.

One team that’s given the Lions some of their toughest battles this year has been the Saint Gertrude Gators, who have lost in both meetings, but played some of their best soccer of the season against them.

The first meeting was decided by a single goal from Veritas sophomore Keira Goodlett on April 3, but the second meeting on May 3 would showcase much more offense from both sides, this time seeing the Lions jump out to a 2-0 lead before the Gators cut that deficit in half early in the second half and nearly tied the game before the final whistle.

Both of Veritas’ goals came before the midway point of the first half, with goals from Eleanor Martin and Sarah Grace White putting them on top.

Despite the 2-0 deficit, it was a promising half of play from the Gators, who moved the ball efficiently with crisp short passing and sound spacing that led to shots on goal that made the keeper work.

In the second half, that ball movement carried over, with players like Erin Shaia, Alexa Marshall and Madeleine Winkelmann working together in the attacking half to generate some truly threatening runs inside the 18-yard box.

Controlling the middle of the field was Shaia, who was active in sending runs to her forwards and even putting a few shots toward the net, including a long-range free kick that nearly soared over the outreached glove of the keeper five minutes into the half.

One such run paid off with a goal, as Winkelmann timed a run perfectly to earn a breakaway opportunity that ended with her poking the ball past the goalie to make it a 2-1 game with 30 minutes remaining.

After that goal, the Gators continued to put pressure on the Lions defense, nearly tying the game with a chance set up by a sky ball from Shaia to Ava Riddick that was just out of Riddick’s reach before the goalie scooped up the ball.

Later, Riddick sent in an accurate cross that led to clutter in the box that almost benefitted the attacking Gators when Marshall got a shot off that just went past the goal with five minutes remaining.

With time running out, the Gators got one last chance on a run created by Shaia to Winkelmann, who was inches away from running onto the ball with a clear path to the goal before it was cleared again by the goalie.

Though the whistle sounded and Veritas was the one to celebrate the hard-earned victory, it was one of Saint Gertrude’s best battles of the season. Two days later, the Gators ended their regular season with a 2-1 win over Grace Christian School, the top-ranked team in VISAA Division III.

With a 4-11 record entering the postseason, the Gators start off the LIS Tournament with a matchup against St. Catherine’s (3-11-2) and hope their strong play to close the season translates to playoff success.