KNOX., Pa. (EYT) — The Clarion Area Bobcats Girls Soccer squad traveled to Knox Wednesday afternoon for their away game debut securing the shutout win 5-0 against the Keystone Panthers.

With the girls team suffering two nagging injuries to senior Ava Cherico and standout sophomore midfielder Anna Gribik, the rest of the squad is healthy and intact. Eighteen minutes into the contest striker Evelyn Lerch accepted a feed by freshman Lexi Coull and shot a bullet over the left shoulder of the Keystone goaltender who stood tall through the whole contest. Lerch scored her second goal at 35 minutes with a feed from senior right wing Emily Grabiak. At the half, the score was 2-0 Bobcats. The Bobcats had dominated with the ball on the Keystone side of the field for the majority of the first half clock.

The game continued in the second half with the Bobcats senior Hannah Hazlett protecting the Bobcats’ goal preserving the shutout. Lerch scored her hat trick goal by taking a vertical field feed designed by junior Ruby Smith and Coull.

Several attempts during the second half had Keystone dumping the ball into the Clarion defense with Keystone striker Ali Clark thwarting the Clarion defense at midfield. Hazlett made four stops during the contest with the Clarion defense wound tight by a crew of three. Senior Jenna Miller tends the center defense position and today Miller was a force keeping Hazlett unscathed from blistering shots. Miller was flanked and assisted by junior Robin Stahlman and sophomore Chesney Boggess on left and right defense keeping the Keystone offense honest. Sophomore Allison Acey and Junior Abi Frederick worked through the Bobcats win playing in the wing positions.

The scoring for the Bobcats continued later in the half with freshman Coull taking a cross from junior Joyce Kim to find the back of the net making the score 4-0. Joyce (JK) Kim worked all afternoon with fancy footwork keeping the ball deep on the left side of the Panthers end of the field. Freshman Alex Leadbetter finished the scoring of the day assisted by sophomore Maddie Watterson sealing the Bobcats 5-0 win.

The Bobcats Head Coach Chris Schonbachler and Assistant Coach Stephanie Lias both were pleased with the first win making the girls 1-1-0 on the season after their home opening loss to Karns City 9-2. The Bobcats host the Redbank Valley Bulldogs at home at 6:30 on September 17.

Article submitted by Matt Lerch.