Avrie Nelsen, Elliana DosSantos lead St. Anthony's girls soccer past Kellenberg
St. Anthony's forward Avrie Nelsen moves the ball through midfield and into the Kellenberg zone in a CHSAA girls soccer game on Monday at St. Anthony's. Credit: George A Faella
The St. Anthony’s girls soccer team knew it was on the right path. The players have found themselves in this situation multiple times this season. Creating quality scoring chances, but just sending shots a little wide or too high or being halted by the opposing goalkeeper.
But they knew eventually, it was going to go their way. And usually shortly after one gets by, another follows. And that’s exactly what happened Monday.
“It was definitely there, one was coming in eventually,” said Avrie Nelsen, a junior forward. “Then in the second half, we had many more opportunities and we took advantage of those.”
Nelsen was the first to capitalize when she took a touch on the ball following a pass from Chloe Koubel, got past the defense and goalkeeper in the 18-yard box and placed the shot to the right corner for the game’s first goal as host St. Anthony’s defeated Kellenberg, 2-0, in CHSAA girls soccer on Monday afternoon. Nelsen scored 2:13 into the second half after St. Anthony’s had five shots on goal in the first half, all saved by Bridget LaRosa.
“She’s quick, her touch is great, some of the things that she thinks of in the spur of the moment is top-notch,” coach Scott Carey said. “For her, it’s about time she found the back of the net. She’s been plugging away, creating chances and she was able to convert.”
Elliana DosSantos scored less than six minutes later off a through ball from Quinci Gallagher to give St. Anthony’s a 2-0 lead with 31:54 left in the second half. Kellenberg falls to 8-2-2 overall, including 4-2-2 in the CHSAA.
“Throughout the season it’s been a struggle for us to get in goals,” said Sophia Dorsey, a senior midfielder. “We just had to wait, be patient and then eventually one will come and eventually a second and maybe a third. Once we get that first, it just keeps coming for us.”
St. Anthony’s (8-0-1, 6-0) has lofty expectations every season. The Friars have won five straight state CHSAA Class AA championships and six straight league titles. The word “legacy” is often discussed around the program.
“We have to keep our legacy and that’s what we’re doing right now and it seems to be going well,” Nelsen said. “We just need to keep doing that with our heads high and not let anything get in our way.”
“I’d be lying if I said we don’t mention legacies and stuff like that, but we tell the girls, especially in school ball, no two teams are exactly the same,” said Carey in his first season at St. Anthony’s. “So for us, we know we have that target especially coming from last year and we welcome it and we just want to do the best we can to play into November and see how far we can go.”
