Aberdeen Central turned to its defensive captains for its offensive output on Senior Night.
The Golden Eagles got goals from junior defenseman Paige Ewalt in the first half and senior midfielder Kaylee Donat in the second half to secure a 2-1 win over Mitchell Tuesday night at Brownell Activities Complex.
The win, while not a guarantee, was at minimum a key piece of Central’s bid for a home-field berth when the playoffs begin next week.
“Last year we weren’t really going forward when we went into the playoffs,” said Central coach Merle Aske. “This year we’ve won three in a row now and the girls are doing a good job of moving the ball the way we want to move it and being dangerous on the attacking end and being solid on the back line.”
The Golden Eagles were, indeed, on the attack most of the night. Still, Central’s two goals came from two positions that don’t always end up in the scoring column.
Ewalt’s goal came with just under 23 minutes to play in the first half when she drilled a free kick over the reach of Mitchell goalie Kenzi Kayl from about 45 yards out.
“It honestly felt really good,” Ewalt said. “As you saw from my reaction, I was surprised it even went in. I take quite a few of them if they’re past the 30 (yard line) and none of them ever go in. They get close, but they never go in, so it was definitely a surprise that it went in today. Felt good.”
Ewalt benefitted from having the wind at her back and said she just tried to put the ball on frame.
“As long as I can get a good look at the goal I try to put it on frame,” she said. “Otherwise I’ll try to look for an open player who doesn’t have a man on their back. But I try to put it on frame as much as I can.”
The Golden Eagles then picked up an insurance goal with around 29 minutes to play in the second half. Donat picked up a loose ball in the box, one-touched it and again put the ball over the reach of Kayl.
“Our coaches are big on, if it’s bouncing around the box, just take your chance, and I did,” Donat said. “I kind of just placed it, and I was honestly surprised. I thought it was going 40 feet over.”
Getting some offensive production from some of its defensive players was a bonus for the Golden Eagles, but Aske noted both players did exactly what they needed to do on both goals.
“Paige does a good job with those free kicks from a ways out,” Aske said. “We had the wind at our back, so it was a good opportunity to do that. Donat’s was more from the side at an angle. She did a good job of bringing that ball down and taking (the shot). We talk a lot, you want to put the ball on frame as much as possible. You put the ball on frame, good things happen. That was one of those situations where she got the touch just right and put it right where it needed to go.”
Donat’s goal appeared to be merely an insurance tally until the closing seconds of the game when Mitchell turned a corner kick chance into a scoring opportunity, finding the net with 12.7 seconds remaining in the game.
“The girls did a good job of staying organized and doing what we needed to do,” Aske said. “It’s tough to give up that goal at the end, but it is what it is. They got a corner kick and put the ball in a dangerous spot.“
As the playoffs loom and every goal becomes even more magnified in win-or-go-home situations, Aske said his team will need to both take advantage of its own scoring opportunities while simultaneously limiting those of opposing teams.
“When you get to the end of the year and playoffs, a 2-goal lead at the end of the game – it just takes one bad bounce then your lead is cut in half,“ he said.
Central will learn its first-round opponent – and game location – after the final games of the season have wrapped up at the end of the week.
“No matter the rank, we still have to work really hard and keep connecting in the middle,” Donat said.
Mitchell 0 1 – 1
Aberdeen Central 1 1 – 2
First Half: 1, AC, Paige Ewalt, 18th minute.
Second Half: 2, AC, Kaylee Donat, 51st minute; 3, MIT, Taryn Thomas, 80th minute.
Goalies: Mitchell, Kenzi Kayl (13 saves); Aberdeen Central, Ava Beck (8 saves).
Shots: Mitchell, 19 shots, (9 on goal); Aberdeen Central, 24 shots (15 on goal).
