10/19/15 - Blan ends season with loss to Norwood
The Blanchester Ladycats fell to Norwood in tournament play with a 1-0 loss on Monday night. The Ladycats suffered a heartbreaker, as an exciting and evenly matched game was decided on a Gabby Smith goal with only 5 minutes remaining in the game. The first half showcased a back and forth game that saw each team take chances, but each team was turned away by solid defensive plays. Blan narrowly missed taking the lead in the first half when an Audrey Jordan pass found Sierra Drake at the back post, but the ensuing shot sailed just high, and half-time hit with the scored tied at 0. The second half saw more of the same until Smith took advantage of tired legs and raced past the Blan defense for the only goal of the game. Regan Ostermeier had 12 saves in goal for the Ladycats on the evening. Seniors Audrey Jordan and Tristan Culberson had strong games for the Cats in their final game, and despite the loss Coach Ballinger commented that, "Even though we lost, I'm proud of the effort from the ladies tonight and all season, they left it all on the field, and that's all a coach can ask for." Blanchester finishes the season with a record of 11-5-1 on the year.
10/15/15 - Hinkle Powers Blan Past Goshen in Thriller
Freshmen Emily Hinkle scored two goals to lead the Blanchester Ladycats past the Goshen Warriors in their regular season finale by a score of 2-1. The first half showcased a back and forth game, with Goshen starting out strong before Blan settled into the game and began gaining possession. Goshen would be the first team to strike, with Maddie Gresham breaking through the Wildcat defense to beat the keeper and take the lead. Blan mounted a comeback, however, and were able to even up the score three minutes before half with Hinkle's first goal of the game, which came off of a cross from Tristan Culberson. Blan took control of possession in the second half, but were unable to finish chances early on. Hinkle struck again off a drop pass from Audrey Jordan in the 67th minute with a rocket from twenty yards out that hit the top crossbar before ricocheting to the edge of the goal. Regan Ostermeier had 17 saves in goal for the Cats, and Jordan's assist pushes her school record to 17 on the year. Coach Ballinger commented that, "Junior Brynne Cain stepped up in the second half and played a strong physical game defensively to help secure the win." With the win, Blan finishes the regular season at 11-4-1 on the year. Ballinger also remarked that, "This Wildcat team has faced more obstacles and adversity than any other team I have coached, and I am extremely proud of their toughness and next lady up mentality that has lead us through a successful regular season." Blanchester faces Norwood at home on Monday night to open up tournament play.
10/8/15 - Ladycats hold on to beat Georgetown
The Blanchester Lady Wildcats celebrated senior night on Thursday and came home with a 2-1 victory over Georgetown, giving a proper send off to seniors Jasmine Maloney, Audrey Jordan, Tristan Culberson, and Shauna Fiebing. The first half started out evenly matched, with Blan slowly starting to control possession as the half wore on. Blan's patience finally paid off as freshmen Emily Hinkle cut through the Georgetown defense off of a give and go pass from Audrey Jordan and struck the ball to the back corner of the goal to take a 1-0 lead with seven minutes left to go in the half. Three minutes later sophomore Sierra Drake dribbled past the defense to send a cross to the back post that found a sprinting Taylor McQuitty who redirected the ball in for her fifth goal of the season. Georgetown would rally in the second half though as they brought the score to 2-1 with a chip over the Blan keeper. Georgetown became the aggressors and began creating increasingly dangerous chances in the final fifteen minutes. Junior defenders Mckenzie Hamm and Emma Gundler stepped up to the challenge and helped stonewall the Georgetown onslaught and preserve the 2-1 lead until the final whistle sounded. Regan Ostermeier had 9 saves in goal for the Cats in the first half with Sabrina Duncan adding 6 in the second half. Jordan's assist pushes her school single season record to 16 on the year. Blanchester improves to 10-4-1 on the year and 7-3 in league play, securing second place in the SBAAC National Division.
10/6/15 - Ladycats lose on a stunner to Bethel-Tate in final seconds
The Blanchester Ladycats suffered a last second defeat at the hands of Bethel-Tate on Tuesday night, ending with a final score of 2-1. Bethel-Tate seized the victory by punching in a goal with 10 seconds left in the game off of a corner kick. Blan was unable to clear the corner, and after the ball was played back and forth through the box in a wild scrum, Bethel-Tate finally finished it into the net to drop the Ladycats to 9-4-1 on the season. The game started out as an even affair in the first half with neither team generating a solid scoring attack, which took the teams into half tied at 0-0. Bethel-Tate took a 1-0 lead in the second half by chipping over Blan keeper Regan Ostermeier, but Blan clawed back into the game ten minutes later. Sierra Drake evened up the game at one by finishing an Audrey Jordan cross to give the Ladycats new life. Blan generated several scoring chances after drawing even, but were unable to finish, leading to the dramatic finish. Jordan's assist gives her sole possession of Blanchester's single season assist record with 15 on the year. Regan Ostermeier had 7 saves in goal for Blanchester while Mckenzie Hamm put in a solid defensive effort for the Wildcats. Blanchester will be celebrating Senior Night on Thursday when they take on Georgetown at home for their final league match-up of the season.
10/1/15 - Ladycats down Williamsburg
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team rebounded from last week's loss and defeated the Williamsburg Wildcats by a score of 6-1. The midfield trio of Audrey Jordan, Emily Hinkle, and Tristan Culberson swarmed Williamsburg from the start and kept the Ladycats in the attacking third of the field for a majority of the game. The scoring got started for Blanchester when a Jordan cross found Bekah Sams who put it away to take the lead. Culberson and Jordan both added goals soon after, coming off of passes from Sierra Drake and Hinkle respectively, giving the Ladycats a 3-0 halftime lead. Not much changed in the second half, with Sams putting in her second goal of the game from another Jordan pass. Jordan notched her third assist of the night after swinging in a corner kick that found Taylor McQuitty unmarked at the back post who volleyed it past the keeper. Williamsburg was able to beat the Ladycats defense on a long through ball to bring the score to 5-1, until Culberson answered shortly after to bring the score to 6-1. Regan Ostermeier had one save for Blan in the first half, while Sabrina Duncan added three in the second half. Mckenzie Hamm set the tone for the strong defensive effort for Blan. Jordan's three assists on the night push her season tally to 14, which ties the Blanchester school record for most in a season, held by both Caitie Zike and Tori Richardson. The Ladycats improve to 9-3-1 on the season and 6-2 in league play.
9/28/15 - Ladycats fall to CNE
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity team were defeated by a score of 3-0 by the CNE Rockets on Monday night. The first half was a tense affair as CNE held an edge in time of possession, but the Cat defense held strong. The Ladycats found opportunities to score off of several counter attacks, but were unable to finish. The game remained stuck at zeroes until five minutes remaining in the half, as the Rockets powered home a header off of a corner kick to give them a lead they would not relinquish. The start of the second half saw CNE take control of the game with another goal within the first five minutes coming from a shot off a defensive miscue from Blan. The game remained at 2-0 for nearly the rest of the half, as Blan mustered a few more opportunities, but they were unable to create consistent pressure against a very tough CNE defensive effort. With one minute remaining in the game the score was pushed to 3-0 off an own goal from the Ladycats off of another corner kick. Regan Ostermeier had 15 saves in the goal for Blan. Midfielder Audrey Jordan and defenders Merri Lindsey and Emma Gundler played well for the Cats in the loss. Blan's record falls to 8-3-1 on the year and to 5-2 in league play.
9/24/15 - Ladycats outlast Felicity
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team took on the Felicity Cardinals on Thursday night and came away with a 4-0 win. Junior Bekah Sams led the Ladycats in scoring with two goals on the night, giving her 10 goals in the past four games and pushing her season total to 14. Blan started the game off slow, holding possession but not creating many scoring chances in the first twenty minutes. Senior Audrey Jordan helped get the Blan offense back on track for the rest of the game, however, by sending a long through ball to Sams who finished across the goal to give the Cats a 1-0 lead. Jordan followed up with a goal of her own minutes later off an assist from Emily Hinkle to give the Cats a 2-0 cushion at halftime. Blan kept up the pace in the second half, with Sams getting her second goal by tracking down a Hinkle pass and redirecting it into the goal while absorbing a collision from the Felicity keeper. Senior Shauna Fiebing tallied the first goal of her career from a Jordan assist to finish up the scoring for Blanchester. Both Hinkle and Jordan eclipsed 10 assists for the season on the night, with Hinkle's two pushing her to 10, while Jordan's two gives her 11. Regan Ostermeier had one save for the Cats in the first half, and Sabrina Duncan had 1 save in the second half. Junior Mckenzie Miller led the Ladycats defense that earned it's 5th shutout of the season. The Ladycats improve their record to 8-2-1 on the year and take on league leading CNE on Monday.
9/22/15 - Ladycats top Norwood behind Sams' Hat Trick
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team used a quick start to defeat the Norwood Indians by a score of 5-3. Junior Bekah Sams led the Ladycats with her second consecutive hat trick and third on the year to push her season goal total to 12. Sams put Blan on the board within the first minute of the game with a 20 yard toe poke that fell just above the grasp of the Norwood keeper. The Ladycats followed up quickly on the stunned Indians as freshmen Emily Hinkle scored the first goal of her career by sneaking a shot past the near post from a Taylor McQuitty pass. Norwood regained their composure though, and stormed back scoring two goals in a span of five minutes to tie the game up at 2-2. Sams would answer back and added her second goal of the game with 19 minutes to go in the half to give Blan a 3-2 lead that they would take into halftime. The second half continued to be an exciting affair as both teams traded attacks until Norwood nearly scored but were denied by keeper Regan Ostermeier on a collision that knocked her out of the game with an injury. Junior Sabrina Duncan came on in her place and made an immediate impact with a diving save from point blank range to thwart the Indians. Junior Sydney Scott scored her first career goal as well after Audrey Jordan created the scoring chance with her 9th assist of the year. The two goal lead would be short lived as Norwood's Gabby Smith sprinted past the defense to close the lead back to 4-3. Sams would not be denied, however, and capped of her hat trick with 10 minutes to go from a precision McQuitty cross to give the Ladycats a 5-3 that would hold until the end of the game. Ostermeier had 12 saves in goal for the Cats, while Duncan added 10. Jordan and McQuitty both had two assists on the night while senior Shauna Fiebing added one. The Blan defense was led by another relentless effort from junior Emma Gundler. The Ladycats improve to 7-2-1 on the year and resume league play on Thursday at home against Felicity.
9/21/15 - Ladycats top Fairfield
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team defeated the Fairfield Lions by a score of 7-1 on Monday night fueled by Bekah Sams second hat trick of the year. Blanchester shot out of the gates quickly with a Taylor McQuitty goal in the first two minutes of the game. Blan didn't look back after gaining the early lead with Bekah Sams heading in a cross from McQuitty just a few moments later. Sams struck again powering in a shot off of a corner kick served in by Emily Hinkle. Both Audrey Jordan and Chloe Caplinger added first half goals to push the score to 5-0 before half. The second half saw Blan continue to control possession and add in two more goals. Sams completed her hat trick on an unstoppable rocket from twenty five yards out that ended up in the upper right corner, giving her 9 on the year. Caplinger rounded out the scoring with her second goal of the game. The Lions spoiled the Ladycat shutout with three minutes remaining on a great shot of their own that just snuck inside the post to beat the keeper. Tallying assists on the day were Emily Hinkle with 3, and Merri Lindsey, Emma Gundler, Jordan, and McQuitty with one each. Regan Ostermeier had 7 saves in goal for the Ladycats in the first half, with Sabrina Duncan adding 5 saves in the second half. Midfielder Cassidy Todd added in a quality game for the Cats as well. Blan improved to 6-2-1 on the year and takes on Norwood on Tuesday.
9/15/15 - Ladycats down the Rockets
The Ladycats varsity soccer team traveled to Fayetteville on Tuesday and came away with a 4-1 victory to improve their record to 5-2-1. The two teams combined for a competitive first half, with Blan striking first with a goal by junior Bekah Sams for her fifth goal of the year. Sams tracked down an Emily Hinkle through ball and absorbed a tackle from the keeper to finish it off. Sams struck again before half to push her season tally to six off an Audrey Jordan assist, leading to a halftime score of 2-0. Blan began to take more control in the second half, but the Fayetteville defense held strong until the final minutes. The final five minutes of the game saw a flurry of scoring, as Jordan picked up her sixth assist of the year with a precision cross to Chloe Caplinger. Jordan then added her fifth goal of the year less than a minute later off another assist from Hinkle. Fayetteville senior Riley Claytor spoiled the shutout for the Ladycats by putting in a shot off the post with two minutes remaining to bring the score to its final tally of 4-1. Regan Ostermeier had 12 saves in goal for the Ladycats, and the swarming Blan defense was led by valiant efforts from juniors Emma Gundler and Merri Lindsey. Blan returns to action on Monday as they travel to take on Leesburg Fairfield.
9/11/15 - Ladycats fall to New Richmond
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team lost to the New Richmond Lions 8-0 on Thursday night, snapping their 3 game winning streak. The Lions took a 1-0 lead early in the first half off of a goal from Julie Harrison. New Richmond dominated the time of possession for the remainder of the half, but were unable crack the scoreboard again until there was less than two minutes remaining in the half as Abong Nyam finished a cross to put the Lions up 2-0. After halftime, the Lions found their scoring touch and overwhelmed the Ladycats, putting in 6 more goals to push their tall to 8 on the night. Regan Ostermeier had 25 saves for Blan in goal, and Emma Gundler, Chloe Caplinger and Emily Hinkle played tough for the Ladycats despite the loss. The loss drops Blan to 4-2-1 on the season.
9/8/15 - Ladycats topple Lady G-Men
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team defeated league opponent Georgetown after a strong first half showing gave them a 4-0 win. Blan jumped out to an early lead they would not relinquish after a long distance chip from Taylor McQuitty fell past the Georgetown keeper in the first ten minutes. Blan kept up the pressure and Bekah Sams found herself open in the middle of the box to pound one into the net. The Ladycats continued to control possession, and their patient play was rewarded with two more goals before the half ended, both coming off good team passing. Audrey Jordan scored off an assist from defender Mckenzie Miller and Chloe Caplinger scored off a McQuitty drop pass from deep within the box to finish off the scoring. The second half saw a more spirited effort from the Lady G-Men, but the Ladycat defense held strong and earned the shutout. Regan Ostermeier had 10 saves in the shutout, and Emily Hinkle and Audrey Jordan had assists as well. Juniors Merri Lindsey and Mckenzie Hamm were in top form defensively to keep Georgetown out of the net. Blan improved to 4-1-1 on the year and takes on New Richmond on September 10th to begin out of league play.
9/3/15 - Ladycats top Bethel Tate
The Blanchester Ladycats varsity soccer team topped the Bethel-Tate Tigers by a score of 3-0 on Thursday night. Senior Audrey Jordan wasted no time in taking control of the game, scoring in the first 45 seconds by showcasing a rare blend of speed and power. Jordan raced down a long kick from goalie Regan Ostermeier and muscled by the last defender in one quick burst before sending in a shot past the keeper to put Blan up 1-0. Blan continued to play strong and fast in building up their lead to 3-0 before the first half off of two Sierra Drake goals, both assisted from junior Bekah Sams. Drake's first goal was the result of a timely back post run to redirect a looping Sams cross from the corner. Sams generated the second of Drake's goals by tracking down a deflected shot and finding Drake open back post once again. The second half saw more opportunities for both teams, with defenders Mckenzie Hamm and Emma Gundler snuffing out scoring chances by Bethel. Regan Ostermeier earned the shutout by corralling 12 saves, and freshmen Emily Hinkle continued to display the poise of an upperclassmen in controlling the middle of the field. The win pushes Blan's record to 3-1-1 on the year, and they take on Georgetown in league play on Tuesday the 8th.
9/1/15 - Ladycats Soccer take down Williamsburg
The Blanchester Varsity Ladycats soccer team defeated Williamsburg 4-2 in league play Tuesday night. Rebounding from their loss last week, Blan found their stride early when freshmen Emily Hinkle threaded a ball to senior Audrey Jordan who raced past the keeper and finished to an open net to put the Ladycats up 1-0. Williamsburg fired back later in the half with a goal by Hope Schaljo, who chipped it over the Blan keeper to tie up the game. The first half played out as a tense affair until Audrey Jordan broke through the defense again, this time passing to sophomore Sierra Drake for an open shot, who put it away to give the Wildcats the lead. Moments later Drake got her second goal of the game off of a long assist from senior Tristan Culberson, giving the Ladycats a 3-1 halftime lead. Williamsburg struck quickly at the start of the half, putting in a goal to close the lead to 3-2, and nearly tied up the game in the middle of the second half. Williamsburg beat the Blan defense on a long ball over the top and had an open net to shoot at, but defender Mckenzie Hamm made the play of the game by racing back and clearing the ball mere moments before it crossed the line to hold the lead at one. Jordan scored her second goal of the game off a rocket from the edge of the box from a Chloe Caplinger assist to get the score to 4-2. Reagan Ostermeier had 8 saves for the Wildcats in goal. Blan improves their record to 2-1-1 on the year, and 2-1 in league play.
8/27/15 - Ladycats fall to CNE
The Blanchester Ladycats soccer team suffered their first loss of the year to the CNE Rockets by a score of 4-0 on Thursday night. CNE jumped out to a quick lead stunning the Cats in the first two minutes with a goal by Kayla Nichols to capitalize on a slow start by Blanchester. After settling back into the game, Blan squandered several chances to pull even to the Rockets. CNE struck again ten minutes before half to push their lead to 2-0, and it was all the cushion they would need. The second half continued much in the same manner as CNE posted two more goals by Nichols. Chloe Caplinger had 5 saves for the Cats with Regan Ostermeier getting 8 saves. Blan sweeper Emma Gundler and midfielder Audrey Jordan played strong games for the Cats in the losing effort. The loss moves Blan to 1-1-1 on the year and they take on Williamsburg at home on September 1st for their next league match.
8/25/15 - Ladycats open conference play on a high note
The Blanchester Lady Wildcats opened league play with a strong performance, taking down the Felicity Cardinals by a score of 7-0. Junior Bekah Sams put her stamp on the game quickly, showing a wide array of skills to secure a first half hat trick. Sams opened the scoring by following a shot and putting away a bobbled ball by the Felicity keeper. Fifteen minutes later, Sams volleyed an Audrey Jordan corner kick out of the air to beat the keeper, and moments later finished a throw in from junior Mckenzie Hamm in similar fashion. Sophomore Taylor McQuitty scored as well in the first half to put the Cats up 4-0 by halftime. The Ladycats continued their dominant play by putting in three more goals in the second half. Senior Tristan Culberson hit a laser to the top corner, and junior Chloe Caplinger and senior Jasmine Maloney scored the first goals of their careers. Maloney's goal came from the penalty line after Emma Gundler was tackled from behind in the box. Chloe Caplinger and Regan Ostermeier combined for the shutout in goal, with Caplinger notching 1 save and Ostermeier 4 saves. Jordan and Hamm had two assists on the day, with freshmen Emily Hinkle adding one more. Blan improves to 1-0-1 on the season and takes on CNE on Thursday.
8/23/15 - Wildcats draw in season opener at MAPFRE Stadium
The Blanchester Wildcats Girls Varsity soccer team opened their season on Saturday in Columbus with a 0-0 draw against the Batavia Bulldogs. Playing on the professional sized field of MAPFRE Stadium, home to the Columbus Crew of MLS, brought out inspired play from both opponents. The score line was not indicative of the level of play, as both teams created several scoring chances that fell just wide or were foiled by standout defensive plays. Senior Audrey Jordan, junior Bekah Sams and freshmen Emily Hinkle generated quality opportunities in the first half utilizing the wide major league pitch to attack Batavia with long through balls past the defense. Moments before halftime, Batavia closed in on a sure goal before junior defensive standout Savana Greene raced back to make two consecutive tackles that rescued Blan from danger, but left her injured and unable to return to the game. Coach Ballinger commented that, "Greene's gutsy and spectacular play undoubtedly preserved the shutout, and inspired her teammates to keep up the intensity, as nobody wanted to let her down after she was willing to sacrifice everything for the team. We are crossing our fingers for a speedy recovery as Greene is a linchpin to what we do defensively." The second half followed a similar script, with neither team capitalizing on created chances. The Wildcats attempted 16 shots on the day and were also awarded a penalty kick, but were unable to convert. Blan keeper Chloe Caplinger earned the shutout with 14 saves with several under great duress. Blan's back defensive line of juniors Emma Gundler, Mckenzie Miller, and Merri Lindsey also contributed to that shutout with their high level of play. Blan next plays against Felicity-Franklin on Tuesday the 25th to open up league play.