Girls Soccer: Broad Run Wins 4th Straight Dulles District Title

Special to VivaLoudoun
Ashburn (May 11, 2011) - The Broad Run High School girls soccer team clinched its fourth straight AA Dulles District regular-season title Tuesday with a 2-1 win over host Loudoun County.

The Raiders from Leesburg are no strangers to the Spartans who have played each other seven times over the last two seasons including last year’s district, region and state championship games. Tuesday’s game was no different than the past six meetings – a well-played, hard fought game by both squads with Broad Run coming out on top in as many tries.

The Spartans controlled the tempo from the onset and took the lead half-way through the first half when Ellie Zoepfl (assisted by Erin Brady) split the defense and beat the Raider keeper, Brittany Batts, for the early lead.

In the 63rd minute of the game, Cassie Smith intercepted an errant pass-back and pushed the ball past the charging Raider keeper to put the Spartans up 2-0 with 17 minutes left in the match.

The Raider offense would counter with an all-out offensive for the remainder of the game, drawing within one with 12 minutes to go on a header goal by Sarah Olivero from a well placed throw-in by Raider Emma Sieber, but that was all that the Spartan defense, led by keeper Haley Casanova, would allow for the night.

The Spartans (13-1-0) have won their fourth consecutive district title and along the way, have amassed an 81-3-2 record behind the leadership of senior starters Whitney Church (Penn State), Zoepfl (VA Tech), Kacey Kelley (Coastal Carolina), Kathy Taylor (Mary Washington) and Brooke Collins (Indiana University of PA) and are poised to make a run for a fourth consecutive state championship ring.


Loudoun County appeared poised early to take a 1-0 lead as they had done a week earlier in game eventually won by Broad Run, 2-1, as minute 12 saw County freshman Emily Beatty clearing long down the right side to Allison bills, who beat her defender and drove to the right corner. She had a clear look at seniors Leslie Lyford and Taylor Boucher, who had but one defender guarding them at the 18. She attempted a pass from the corner that the Broad Run defender was just able to tip resulting in a turn over versus the scoring opportunity that appeared to be developing.

Broad Run, who played disciplined ball, pressed in the 17th minute. An attempted clear by county was knocked back over the heads of the raider defense where Spartan senior Zoepfl was in position to run through the defense and have a one on one shot against keeper Batts. Coming off her line to try to make a save put Batts in a tough position where she could not reduce Zoepfl’s shooting angle. A quick move to the right by the experienced Spartan allowed her to shoot on an open frame for an easy goal.

The Raiders returned to pressing in the 25th minute when they had a series of three shot attempts inside the penalty box, all deflected back into play by the Broad Run defense.

In minute 30, the Spartans looked like they would repeat their previous goal when Smith penetrated a gap between Raider defenders Elise LeVan and Alana Mackey when a ball was chipped over their heads. This time Batts came up big with a sliding 1-v-1 save against Smith.

Two minutes later, Broad Run junior Dani Dangremond made a drive down the right side and had another 1-v-1 shot against Batts. This opportunity was lost when the shot went high.

The halftime score was Broad Run 1-0. The Raiders did a better job of controlling play in the second half, and had more shooting opportunities on Broad Run than they had to defend. Sarah Olivero found Jess Ku in the 47th minute with a pass to the 18 yard line. Ku unleashed a rocket that the Spartan keeper Casanova punched over the top bar for a resultant Raider corner kick.

A few moments later Leslie Lyford served up a gorgeous corner to Mackey who headed the ball back towards the near post, just wide.

Broad Run was able to score in minute 63 when a mix-up between Raider Captain and defensive leader Mackey and Batts left a ball hanging on the six leaving an easy finish for the Spartans Smith.

Rather than acting defeated, the Raiders rallied throughout the end of the game. Olivero found net with a header from an Sieber Throwin from the right side in the 68th minute. Ten minutes later, the Raiders threatened again when Sieber took a direct kick from 40 yards. That kick resulted in a nice shot requiring the Casanova to deflect it wide for a Raider corner kick. The corner kick taken was not a threat.

In the last few seconds of the game, during stoppage time, the Raiders pressed again with a throwin from Sieber that was low to the near post and resulted in several shot attempts by the County offense, but none could find an opening and the game ended with a 2-1 victory for Broad Run.

2011 Dulles District Regular-Season Champions
Boys Tennis: Freedom
Girls Tennis: Broad Run
Boys Lacrosse: Briar Woods
Girls Lacrosse: Woodgrove
Boys Soccer: TBD
Girls Soccer: Broad Run
Baseball: TBD
Softball: TBD
Boys Track and Field: TBD
Girls Track and Fiedl: TBD