By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com
EVERMAN (January 5, 2015) — Stephenville controlled Everman in all facets of the game and had just one hiccup in the back in what was otherwise a dominant preseason scrimmage Tuesday at J.E. Marr Stadium.
The Honeybees won 3-1 behind goals by Erin Couch, Julie Morken and Alexis De Los Santos. Morken, an exchange student from Sweden, had the game winner in the 27th minute.
“I couldn’t be happier. We made plenty of mistakes, but the soccer part will come. We created a ton of chances,” said Stephenville coach Casey Weil, who has guided the Honeybees to a pair of regional tournaments and has never missed the playoffs. “With it being a scrimmage, everyone got to play and I felt like they all played as hard as they could. When you get 100 percent out of 100 percent of them, it makes it fun for the coach.”
Stephenville begins the regular season in a regional qualifer’s showcase on the same pitch where they lost in the regional semifinals in Kennedale last year. The Honeybees challenge 2015 Region II finalist Kaufman at noon Thursday, reigning state champ Kennedale at 3:30 p.m. Friday and against an opponent to be determined on Saturday.
The Honeybees were the aggressors for about 76 of the 80 minutes Tuesday. Constant pressure led to a penalty just in front of the Everman net and Couch was true on the ensuing penalty kick, pushing it easily into the corner to the keeper’s right.
Everman answered with an equalizer in the 15th minute during the only four-minute stretch where they applied much pressure throughout the match. Stephenville appeared ready to clear the ball out from in front of its net, but hesitation allowed Everman to sneak one past the defenders in to the net.
“We had one mistake there in the back where we all kind of waited on someone else to do it instead of being the aggressors and just getting it done like we did the rest of the night,” said Weil. “But that was one little thing, I’m not worried about that.”
Morken was actually surprised to learn her game winner found the back of the net. Feeling she had mis-hit the ball, she turned to get back, only to do a double-take after her teammates began cheering. The simple roller went right through the arms of the Everman keeper just inside the upright to the keeper’s right.
“That was one of those where you just shrug and take it. But the way Julie played up front, and all our girls really, the way we applied pressure, you get goals like that,” Weil said. “If you play hard and keep attacking good things happen.”
Watch for a full season preview of the Honeybees coming Wednesday morning on The Flash.
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