By Jim Otts Gainesville Daily Register

March 10, 2010

The Wichita Falls High Lady Coyotes proved too fast and sure-footed for the Lady Leopards on Tuesday, bringing the Red Team's home soccer season to an end with a 5-0 shutout.

Most of the damage was done by Kaitlin Foran, a senior attacker who is a member of the regional Under 17 team for U.S. Soccer. Foran had a hat trick with three goals scored in the first half.

The Lady Coyotes controlled the game from the beginning, using wall passes and through balls to keep plenty of pressure on the Leopard defense.

The visitors knew where each would be, knew how to find the open spaces and knew how to shoot the ball while the Lady Leopards were trying to think their way through and were late with reactions.

“There is only so much you can do against a team with the talent Old High has and the playing experience they have together,” Coach Leslie Otts said.

Foran got the first of her goals in the fourth minute when Macy Martinez lobbed a pass in from the left that the Coyote forward headed past Gainesville keeper Paula Vasquez.

Matinez got another assist with a low pass from the left that found Payton Fookes in front of the net. Fookes turned and shot past Vasquez before the Lady Leopards seemed to realize the ball and a threatening player were together right in front of the net.

Foran made it 3-0 with a quick redirect of a Margaux Clark pass, then finished off her hat trick performance with another header to give the Old High girls a 4-0 halftime edge. Cassidy Beer was the assisting Lady Coyote for that one.

Lady Leopard midfielder Marisol Chavez was called for a hand ball violation inside the Cats' penalty area and midfielder Amber Garcia placed the ensuing penalty kick neatly inside the left upright early in the second half.

Lady Leopard backers had a few moments of hope, all in the first half, when balls blasted forward went past the Lady Coyote defensive back line and either Jordan Garcia or Annette Kirk ran past in hot pursuit.

Lady Coyote goalkeeper Breanna Wachsman charged off her line and beat the Spotted Cats forwards to the ball each time. Gainesville got the ball past the midfield stripe in the second half.

As a result, the Lady Leopards played the entire game without an official shot on goal.

It was Senior Night for two Lady Leopards, Sassy Thomas and Yolanda Del Rio and the pair were presented in a post-game ceremony.

The Lady Leopards have one more regular season game, a Friday night clash with the Wichita Falls Hirschi Lady Huskies at Midwestern State University. A tie or win in that one assures the team of a second consecutive trip to the playoffs.