Lady Hornets top Benton, 1-0 for program's first playoff win

By: Ed Weaver  /  October 28, 2015

The Wellsboro Varsity Girls Soccer team won their first-ever District IV playoff game on Tuesday, October 27 with a 1-0 win over Benton at the Balls Mills Complex.

With scoring changes at a minimum against the fifth-seeded Lady Tigers, Wellsboro made the most out of their chances. Senior Sarah Ingerick drove down the field at 25:47 and buried the shot to put Wellsboro up 1-0.

"My adrenaline was just pumping and I was just glad it went in," Ingerick said of her goal.

"After we scored, we dropped Sarah back to play with an extra defender and we held Benton scoreless," said head coach Mike Hotchkiss. "It was a great win that the girls totally deserved. I was proud of the team because they showed the fire and desire that I have been looking for. They fought hard for the entire 80 minutes and did not let up."

Trailing at the half, Benton mounted a strong offensive attack to but the Lady Hornets' defense rose to the occasion behind sophomore goalie Kailee Clymer. Clymer made 17 saves on the night, and perhaps the most important came with two minutes left as Benton tried to tie it up on a header, but Clymer made the save and the Lady Hornets held on.

"It was really crazy, my whole team played awesome and I couldn't have done any of this without them," Clymer said. "I was so nervous but it was so fun all at the same time."

"In the second half our defense really stepped it up," senior Lindsey Graver said. "We went into defesive mode in the last quarter of the game and it really helped and our keeper was there everytime our defense wasn't. It feels amazing to be the first grop of girls that have done this in our program. It just feels amazing."

Ingerick echoed Graver's comments on the team's defensive efforts.

"The defense really stepped it up in the second half and really saved the game for us a couple of times. But I'm just so proud that we won. This being my senior year, it's extra special because no other team has won a playoff game and it's just nice to go out with a bang."

The win advances the Lady Horents (11-6-2) to the next round, where they will take on Loyalsock.