The drought is over for the Buchanan girls soccer team when it comes to winning the VanDenBerg Tournament championship.

The Bucks beat Niles, 3-1 in the finals on Saturday, to claim their first tournament title since 2006.

“It’s huge,” said first-year Buchanan girls soccer coach Kate Coules about what it means to win the tournament. “It means the world to us. I have 14 seniors so I know it means a lot to them.”

Jasmine Dougherty’s goal on an indirect kick from 15 yards gave Buchanan a 1-0 lead with 10:00 left in the first half.

The Bucks got goals in the second half from Montana Harrison and Clara Cornwell. Both of those goals came within 10 yards and went off the hands of the Niles goalie.

“They were both goals that we could have saved, but priority to that we could have played better defense and made it harder for them to take a shot,” said Niles girls soccer coach Jo Schau.

The Vikings pulled within 2-1 with 9:33 left in the game after getting a goal from 20 yards from Lexi Smith.

Buchanan outshot Niles, 21-5.

“We had great movement and great communication,” Coules said.

In the first round, Buchanan beat Brandywine, 1-0. Erica Mitchell scored in the first half for the Bucks.

Niles advanced into the finals after beating Cassopolis, 2-1. Gaines scored both of the goals for the Vikings.

The Rangers, who got a goal from Grace Locke, played without five starters who were at the track regional.

“Today was a good day for us,” Schau said. “This is the best I’ve seen us play in awhile. We had some really positive things happen. We scored some goals. We’re finally finding the back of the net again and getting comfortable. It just wasn’t the end result that we wanted and coming away with the title.”

 

Vanderberg Invitational

At Niles

Championship Game

BUCHANAN 3, NILES 1

Halftime score

Buchanan 1, Niles 0

 

First Half

B – Jasmine Dougherty 10:00

 

Second Half

B – Montana Harrison 28:00

N – Lexi Smith 9:33

B – Clara Cornwell 2:13

 

Shots On Goal

Buchanan 21

Niles 5

 

Saves

Alyssa Rausch (B) 2, Emily Casey (N) 4, Bailee Kessler (N) 4, Avyion James (N) 0

 

Corner Kicks

Buchanan 2, Niles 3

Varsity records: Buchanan 8-3-3, Niles 4-13

 

Semifinals

NILES 2, CASSOPOLIS 1

Halftime score

Niles 1, Cassopolis 1

 

First Game

C – Grace Locke 26:40

N – Emily Gaines 18:36
Second Half

N – Gaines 17:49

 

Shots On Goal

Cassopolis 4

Niles 20

 

Saves

Avyion James (N) 2, Bailee Kessler (N) 0

Brittney Prestly (C) 11

 

Corner Kicks

Cassopolis 1

Niles 0