By DON EDEN
Vigilant/Argus

The Lakeland Conference lead was at stake Monday and Edwardsburg (4-4-1, 4-0-1) kicked Brandywine (6-5-1, 3-1) to second place as the hosts claimed a 5-2 triumph in girls soccer.

“This is one of the best games we have played all season which came at a good time against Brandywine,” remarked Ryan Rosenkranz, the coach of the Eddies.

A defensive battle was waged early with each team scoreless for 28:35 until junior Sam Low of Brandywine lowered the boom by duking a defender, then hitting the left post with a shot and then followed by knocking in the rebound.  Low rebounded another shot by sophomore Angelika Anderson with three threes on the clock to close out the visitor’s scoring.

Edwardsburg evened the score a minute before Low’s second marker at a goal apiece with a passing masterpiece started by juniors Macy Stevenson and Aly Mooth to find senior Ashlyn Chambers alone in front of sophomore goalie Carlie Newman. Chambers redirected the ball into the net and returned the favor to Stevenson with 18 ticks before intermission to deadlock the score at two goals.

“We are getting better all the time with our passing as the flow is getting together with each game,” stated Rosenkranz. “Offensively, we are spreading the wealth which is a good sign and defensively we are young with two freshmen (Haylie Stevenson and Ally McIntee) starting and they are contributing better as is everybody else on the team.”

Four-year starter Leslie Boyles was the star contributor for the victors in the second stanza with a pair of goals within the first seven minutes and thirty seconds as she stole the ball and sent a 15-yard roller in the left corner before retrieving a loose ball from ten yards to dent the net to give the Eddies a two-goal advantage.

“I was impressed with Edwardsburg who has good team speed and they work well together by working hard,” said Brandywine coach Evan Winkler. “We definitely need to work defensively since we are stabbing in too soon and our marking up needs to get tighter, because five goals is a lot to give up as our inexperience showed.”

The final tally came at the buzzer as Chambers fired a shot in the clear with Boyles delivering the pass.

“Our girls are having fun and they get along together well on and off the field,” concluded Rosenkranz.

With 7:20 left in the game Low was hustling for a loose ball when an apparent knee injury occurred and she had to be helped off the field.

“Sam (Low) heard it pop and losing her will hurt big time but hopefully she is okay for her sake,” noted Winkler.  ‘The pressure is on us now to stay with Edwardsburg since we face them again in our last conference game.”

Brandywine…2
Edwardsburg…5
First Half
BR – Sam Low 29th minute
ED – Ashlyn Chambers assist by Aly Mooth 36th minute
BW – Low 37th minute
ED – Macy Stevenson assist by Chambers 40th minute
Shots – Brandywine 9; Edwardsburg 12
Saves – (BR) Carlie Newman 5; (ED) Brittany Hurst 7

Second Half
ED – Leslie Boyles 46th minute
ED – Boyles 48th minute
ED – Chambers assist by Boyles at buzzer
Shots – Brandywine 5; Edwardsburg 9
Saves – (BR)  Newman 4; (ED) Hurst 3
Corner kicks – Brandywine 0; Brandywine 2

Cassoplis at Bridgman
The Cassopolis soccer team got back on the winning track Monday night with a 2-0 Lakeland Conference victory over host Bridgman.

The Rangers  outshot the Bees 25-7 in an extremely physical game, but landed just two in the net.

The first goal was put in by Bjargey Olafsson in the 12th minute of play to bring the halftime score 1-0.

The second goal by Malika Malik in the 52nd minute of play was a great follow up finish to a previously missed shot.

Cassopolis…2
Bridgman…0
Halftime score
Cassopolis 1, Bridgman 0

First half
C – Bjargey Olafsson 12th minute

Second half
C – Malika Malik 52nd mniute

Shots on goal
Cassopolis 25
Bridgman 7