The Pilot News - Rockies stay unbeaten

Scheetz completed the hat trick on a forward pass from Parsons, who had in turn been fed a cross by Brea Whitmire on Plymouth’s final goal of the night in the 75th minute. Parsons was also credited with an assist on Plymouth’s opening goal as LaVille goalkeeper Erica Schmeltz knocked down a long Scheetz snipe, and Brittany Davis was there to finish with a close-range clean-up shot.
“Tess (Parsons) and I work really well together,” Scheetz said. “She always knows where I’m at, and I always know where she’s at. It helps because she knows exactly where to put the ball if I’m making a run, and the same with her. If I have the ball, I know where to put it for her to make a run. We just know how to finish.”
“Sammy (Scheetz) is pretty phenomenal up top,” said Plymouth girls soccer head coach Curt Feece. “We played her at midfield for three years, and now we decided to stick her up top this year, and that’s where she’s really playing her best soccer. Tessa has been our leading scorer all year long. She’s so dangerous it opens up opportunities for everybody else. They work very, very well together; they do a lot of combinations together. I’m just real happy with the way that’s coming together.”
Parsons scored a goal of her own off a Brandi Witmer cross into the box to give the Rockies a 4-1 advantage just a minute into the second half Tuesday as she finished with a goal and three assists.
LaVille senior striker and Indiana State recruit Abby Davis recorded the majority of the Lady Lancers’ 10 shots on goal at the game — versus 19 by the Rockies’ offense — and finished with a goal and an assist Tuesday.
She answered Brittany Davis’ goal on an unassisted run in the 10th minute, beating both Maggie Tanner and Kayla Vanlue for the solo score. Abby Davis assisted LaVille’s only other goal of the night with a forward pass to Marci Gurtner who bent a shot off the crossbeam and behind Plymouth goalie Nikki Butcher — who finished with eight saves in goal — to bring the score to 4-2 in the 48th minute.
“We clearly had to keep an eye on Abby (Davis),” Feece said. “Whichever side she was on, our outside back was staying with her really close, and not only our outside back but we had our outside midfielder marking her, making sure she didn’t get the ball. She still was able to bust loose and get five shots in the first half, one of them being a goal, so she has an impact; she changes the game plan. I think they adjusted OK. We kept rotating subs there in the back. With her speed you need fresh legs out there all the time.”
Abby Davis found the net in the 70th minute, but a late off-sides whistle nullified the goal, which would have brought the Lancers to within one and might have changed the game’s complexion with 10 minutes left on the clock. Also for LaVille, Schmeltz recorded 14 saves, and she got a glove on Parsons goal in the second half, although she couldn’t stop it.
“It’s a great win. Any time you can beat LaVille is a great win,” Feece said. “They get up for it, and they’ve got such great competitors like Gurtner and Erica Schmeltz and (Katie) Bettcher and Abby Davis. Those are some really good soccer players, and when they’re on, they’re very dangerous.”
Plymouth improves to 8-0-1 with Tuesday’s win. The Rockies will try to move to 4-0 in the Northern Lakes Conference Saturday as they host Elkhart Memorial. JV start time is 10 a.m.
• PLYMOUTH 5,
LAVILLE 2
At Plymouth
Halftimes score: Plymouth 3, LaVille 1
First half
P – Brittany Davis (Samantha Scheetz) 6th minute
L — Abby Davis (unassisted) 10th minute
P — Scheetz (Tessa Parsons) 29th minute
P— Scheetz (Parsons) 31st minute
Second half
P — Parsons (Brandi Witmer) 41st minute
L — Marci Gurtner (A. Davis) 48th minute
P — Scheetz (Parsons, Brea Whitmire) 75th minute
Saves: Nikki Butcher (P) 8, Erica Schmeltz (L) 14
Shots on Goal: P 19, L 10
Fouls: P 10, L 7
Yellow Cards: Abby Davis (L)
Records: Plymouth 8-0-1, 3-0-0 NLC