Girls soccer: Seward slips plast Houston

HOUSTON - Things were pretty dreary, rainy and cold Saturday as the Houston High girls soccer team prepared to kick off their season with a match against the visiting Seward Seahawks. But things heated up quickly as both teams engaged in a back-and-forth contest, which the Seahawks eventually won 4-3.

&#8220I would say the first five minutes were rather slow,” Seward coach Myla Liljemark said. &#8220Once the girls realize d that we were pretty evenly matched both teams picked up the pace and that made for an exciting game.”

Houston sophomore Tiffany Johnston got things going in the first half with a right-footed blast from the top of the goal box. The shot zoomed past the diving Seward goalie, Katrina Dupree, in the 15th minute of play.

Annemiek Analouk lobbed the ball over the outstretched arms of Houston goalie Kelcy Moe in the 33rd minute of play, to give Seward its first score.

The teams went into the halftime break tied 1-1.

During the break, the rain, which had been falling throughout the first half, subsided allowing the pace of play to speed up once again.

Seward's Janessa Anderson was the star in the second half, scoring three goals, including the game-winner with four minutes left to play.

&#8220That was probably the most evenly matched game I've seen in a while,” Houston coach Steve Cole said after the game. &#8220They just happened to score the last goal. I'd bet that if we played ten games we'd split them right down the middle, five apiece,”

After the first two Anderson goals, Houston managed to find an answer. Lisbet Norris rolled in her tally in the 68th minute. Kacey Newman tied it again at 3-3, with a shot from the left side.

But time ran out on the Hawks following Anderson's final goal in the 75th minute.

&#8220I told the girls before the game that all I expected of them to do was to have fun,” Liljemark said. &#8220This game couldn't have been any more fun.”

For Houston however a loss at home was a tough pill to swallow.

&#8220When the game is back and forth like it was today it hurts to lose,” Cole said. &#8220But losing in the first game of the season and at home will be extra hard on the girls.”

Contact Darrell L. Breese at 352-2267 or at darrell.breese@

frontiersman.com.