By James Costello Sports Editor
ARGOS — Culver Community used some unusual formations to try to throw the defending-champion Lady Eagles out of their game plan.
The strategy seemed to work for a half as the Cavaliers held crosstown foe Culver Girls Academy to just one goal on 10 first-half shots on goal, but the Eagles adjusted in the second half with five more scores while shutting out Culver for a 6-0 Argos Girls Soccer Sectional quarterfinal win at Eugene Snyder Field Tuesday.

“I think Culver did a very good job at frustrating us,” said CGA first-year head coach Nathaniel King. “They almost put, like, six or seven in the midfield, and it was very packed, and we kind of got frustrated. We were trying to force shots rather than stick to our game. The main thing was Culver trying to frustrate us, and we got frustrated but we corrected that in the second half.”
CGA began to spread the field after the intermission and started to convert at a 50 percent rate as four different players notched scores. The Eagles showed they have multiple weapons available from a multitude of angles as a total of five players scored goals in the win, including two from midfielder Jasmine Soo as well as a goal and an assist each by Kylee Shipley, Corinne Henning and Dineo Mmutla.
“What I said to the girls in the second half was the fact that we hadn’t played a team that had a plan that was just to frustrate us and kind of pack the area,” said King. “We just didn’t know how to deal with that. Once I said to the girls just kind of keep to our game, open them up, kind of stretch the ball wide and play the ball through, then I think it worked in the second half.”
CGA dominated statistically in the win with 20 shots on goal versus none by Culver and 21 corner kicks compared to none by the Cavs. The Eagles move on to face LaVille — which topped Rochester 3-0 in the nightcap Tuesday — in an Argos tourney semifinal match Thursday at 7 p.m.
• CULVER GIRLS ACADEMY 6,
  CULVER COMMUNITY 0
At Argos Girls Soccer Sectional
Quarterfinal
First half
Corinne Henning (Kylee Shipley), 18th minute
Second half
Jasmine Soo, 51st minute
Shipley (Dineo Mmutla CK), 55th minute
Mmutla (Henning), 62nd minute
Soo (Hannah Bouline), 64th minute
Jami Powell (Shawna Lesperance), 71st minute
Shots on goal: CGA 20, CC 0
Saves: CMA 0, CC 14 (Hilari Weldon 12, Chandler Gast 2)
Corner kicks: CGA 21, CC 0
Fouls: CGA 0, CC 0

 

LAVILLE 3, ROCHESTER 0
LaVille head coach Steve Hodge told his girls to put the game away in the first half, and they were happy to oblige.
Emily Fuller put the Lady Lancers on the board with a high chip shot that bounced in over the goalie in the 10th minute, and Leah Manuel scored two goals from both the right wing and center forward positions in the 23rd and 30th minutes, and LaVille held on for a 3-0 shutout victory over Rochester at the Argos Girls Soccer Sectional Tuesday.
“I wanted the game won by halftime so that’s what I asked them to do,” said Hodge. “In the second half we moved players around to get ready for Thursday. Yeah, that’s a bit arrogant, but there were some things we needed to do, and I wanted to save certain players from injury because I just can’t afford any more.”
Part of that plan involved shoring attacking midfielder Cera Ponto back in the second half to mark up on Rochester forward Ashley Minix. The Lancers were able to maintain their 3-0 lead but they recorded only one shot on goal after the break while allowing four from Rochester, including an empty net clean-up opportunity in the 74th minute that was booted over the LaVille goal from less than 18 yards out.
“We gave the midfield away in the second half, so we tried to get that refilled, and we did eventually,” Hodge said. “They could have scored on us, which they should have, but overall I’m pleased with the way they did in the first half.
“They did exactly what we asked them to do — win the game in the first half, and then let’s hold them in the second half. That’s all I wanted them to do because it’s going to be tough on Thursday.
Thursday’s sectional semifinal with CGA will be the second meeting between the two teams, after the Eagles handed LaVille a 7-0 drubbing back in September.
“We played CGA before, and they thumped us pretty good,” said Hodge. “But Thursday’s another day.”
• LAVILLE 3, ROCHESTER 0
At Argos Girls Soccer Sectional
Quarterfinal
First half
Emily Fuller (Cera Ponto), 10th minute
Leah Manuel, 23rd minute
Manuel, 30th minute
Shots on goal: LaVille 9, Rochester 6
Saves: LaVille 2 (Abbie McBride), Rochester 5 (Alissa Lowry)
Corner kicks: LaVille 9, Rochester 1
Fouls: Rochester 10, LaVille 5