MIDDLETOWN >> Madison Ketchum’s goal early in the second half put Middletown ahead to stay, but it was Abby Sabater’s 30-yard free kick that bounced into the net with 15 minutes remaining that sealed the Mustangs’ 2-0 victory over the St. Helena Saints in a big North Central League I girls soccer game on Thursday in Middletown.
Middletown, the eight-time defending league champion, maintained sole possession of first place with its win and takes a 9-0-3 record into the final week of the season. Clear Lake (9-1-2) trails Middletown by a half-game and St. Helena (8-2-2) drops 1½ games behind Middletown. All three teams have two games left. If Middletown wins at Kelseyville on Tuesday and St. Helena wins at home against Clear Lake, the Mustangs clinch a ninth straight championship.
“It was pretty impressive,” Middletown coach Lamont Kucer said of Sabater’s goal that bounced underneath the St. Helena keeper, who was trying to smother the shot. “I was totally stunned. We were just trying to get the ball into the box and see if we could make something happen. Our girls were on fire, so excited. It deflated St. Helena, took the wind right out of their sails.”
The two teams battled to a 0-0 draw last month on St. Helena’s artificial turf.
“I was happy to get out of there with a tie,” Kucer said. “We had possession the majority of time today, the exact opposite from when we played at their house.” While Ketchum and Sabater came up with the big shots for Middletown, the Mustangs’ defense continued its high level of play, including keeper Lucy Schisler.
“They got the ball behind our defense a couple of times and she came out and cleared it with her foot,” Kucer said. “She had a dozen saves. She did a great job. All the girls are playing so well.”
Middletown has allowed only three goals in league play this season, all of them at home – two in a 2-2 with Kelseyville on Sept. 29 and the other in a 1-1 tie with Clear Lake on Sept. 13.
Caitlin Lemoine assisted on Ketchum’s goal.
