Galbreath

JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch's girls soccer team entered this season looking for leadership.

The Knights found it in junior midfielder/forward Lindsie Galbreath.

“We graduated three senior captains from last year,” Knoch coach Doug Wood said. “During the preseason, I pulled Lindsie aside and told her the keys to this team are available to her.

“All she had to do was take them and drive.”

Galbreath certainly did so Saturday, scoring both goals in the Knights' 2-1 non-section win over Freeport. The loss snapped the Yellowjackets' eight-game winning streak.

Galbreath — who has 13 goals on the year — scored both tallies Saturday the same way. She got a step on the defender after the ball snuck into the offensive zone and deftly kicked ground balls into the left corner of the net.

She opened the scoring with 17 minutes left in the first half. She snapped a 1-1 tie with 6:59 remaining in the game.

“I learned playing club to watch their (defender's) feet,” Galbreath said. “Pick up on their speed and how quickly they move.

“I felt like I could get a step on them and it worked out.”

Lindsey Fanton and Natalie Brands assisted on the Knoch goals.

Freeport (8-2, 5-0) controlled play through most of the contest. The Yellowjackets had 12 shots on net and took five corner kicks — four in the first half — to Knoch's one.

Freeport also had two shots deflect off the crossbar and a few others barely sail over the net.

Sarah Lipniskis, a senior midfielder, scored the tying goal for the Yellowjackets with 30:21 left in the second half. She was all alone in front of the net to kick home a rebound off Carlie Giori's shot.

Knoch goalkeeper Bailey Gizienski made a sprawling save of Giori's shot.

“I loved the pressure we were getting,” Freeport coach Brittni Grenninger said. “We were never going to get that second goal, It was just one of those days and I'm OK with that.

“What I don't like is they scored on their only two shots. Yeah, we limited their chances, but they had a 100 percent shot percentage and that's unacceptable to me.”

Sidney Shemanski headed a corner kick by Lipniskis just wide with 10 minutes to play. Shemanski took a shot that went off Gizienski's hands and hit the crossbar a minute earlier.

“They were bringing it at us pretty good,” Knoch coach Doug Wood admitted.” But sometimes when that happens, you can get quick opportunities the other way. Lindsie took advantage of those chances.”

Freeport had outscored its opposition 49-4 during its winning streak.

“Our defenders did a great job of withstanding their pressure,” Wood said. “Maddie Holben and Sarah Vasas are our anchors back there.”

Knoch (6-3, 1-3) hosts a critical section game with Indiana Monday night. The Knights will play that game without Brands, who received a red card late in Saturday's game.

“This win will give us momentum toward that game,” Galbreath said. “We know we beat a good team today.”