Daily Reporter staff reports
FORTVILLE — The New Palestine boys soccer team struck first — and last — Tuesday night to slip past the formerly unbeaten Mt. Vernon Marauders 4-3 in a shootout.
The Class 2A Marauders entered the highly-anticipated Hoosier Heritage Conference match a perfect 6-0 after shutting out No. 13 Fishers the game prior.
The Dragons weren’t intimidated, however, scoring first with 21 minutes remaining in regulation as Kyle Doss fired a goal deep into the net from outside the box.
New Palestine held the lead until Carson Jones took an assist from Noah Laughlin to tie the game 1-1 with three minutes left.
The drama ensued through two seven-minute bonus periods before the finale was settled in a shootout.
New Palestine pulled ahead 2-0, but Mt. Vernon responded and tied the shootout 2-2 and 3-3. The Dragons won the night behind a Nick Martin goal and an Erik Silvey stop to improve to 5-1-1 on the season.
Mt. Vernon fell to 6-1 and 1-1 in the HHC. New Palestine is 2-0 in the conference.
Cougars top Arabians
The Greenfield-Central boys soccer team’s offense erupted Tuesday night to defeat Hoosier Heritage Conference foe Pendleton Heights 6-1.
The win marked the program’s third win by six goals or more this season.
Enrique Ferrara led the onslaught with a hat trick as Greenfield-Central notched two goals in the first half and four more in the second.
Ferrara’s first goal came off a penalty kick just five minutes into the match. His second unfolded in the second half as Braiden Sticka fired a perfectly placed ball in Ferrara’s path, which capped by finding the back of the net. His third materialized off another combination play from Sticka, who finished with two assists.
Luke Tuttle supplied the Cougars second goal in the first half off a Clay Kelley service from the right wing. Up 4-1 in the second half, Brandon Murphy teamed with Kelley, who collected the pass to find space near the far post for the goal.
The Cougars outshot the Arabians 22-5. Eli Diehr recorded four saves for the win.
Greenfield-Central is 4-1-1 on the season and 2-0 in the HHC.
GIRLS SOCCER
Mt. Vernon rolls
The Mt. Vernon girls soccer team scored twice in the first half and added an insurance goal in the second to blank Shelbyville 3-0 on Tuesday night.
Morgan Scruggs recorded two of the Marauders’ three goals and contributed an assist. Alaina Nelson was credited for a goal while Nicole Ratts finished with two assists.
Avery Haines kept the net clean with a save for the shutout as Mt. Vernon racked up 26 shots compared to Shelbyville’s two.
The win marked the team’s second straight after losing to Hoosier Heritage Conference foe New Castle last week, but the Cougars aren’t looking to slow down with Warren Central on the road up next tonight.
The squad hosts New Palestine next week and travel to Yorktown for key HHC games.
Greenfield-Central is 4-1-1 on the year and 2-1 in the HHC.
VOLLEYBALL
Dragons lose 1st match
The Class 3A No. 10 New Palestine Dragons endured their first defeat of the season Tuesday against Zionsville.
The Eagles won 3-0, claiming 25-9, 25-22, 25-17 victories.
Kara Morris paced the Dragons’ attack with 19 assists and had seven digs. Allison Dennemann added nine kills and 10 digs, but the Eagles were too much to handle.
“We came out flat tonight and struggled to find momentum,” New Palestine head coach Kelli Whitaker said. “We have learned a lot from this match, and we are looking forward to our match against Greenfield.”
The Dragons (7-1) host Greenfield-Central (4-3) tonight at 6 p.m.
Cougars fall to Delta
The Greenfield-Central Cougars dropped a tough match to Delta on the road, 3-0, Tuesday.
The host Eagles held the Cougars under 20 points in each set, winning 25-16, 25-18, 25-16.
Greenfield-Central attacked Delta from all angles with three different players registering key kills in the team’s attempt to rally ahead.
Rachel Irbe had a team-high 11 kills with an ace, an assisted block and two digs. Emily Diehr added two kills, two assisted blocks and an assist. Laura Banton contributed four kills and a dig.
Courtney Marchello had five assists and seven digs. Molly Broome finished with seven assists and two assisted blocks. Olivia Joven and Samara Fletcher combined for 14 digs.
BOYS TENNIS
Dragons sweep to win
The New Palestine Dragons were red hot Tuesday, defeating Morristown 5-0.
Singles players Matthew True, Nicholas Ochs and the No. 1 doubles team of Josh McKinney and Evan Rejer all posted 6-0, 6-0 wins. No. 1 singles player Coltin Espich and the No. 2 doubles tandem of David Hockett and Conner Page only lost one game in their straight set wins.
The Dragons are now 5-1 on the season.
Delta sweeps Cougars
The Greenfield-Central boys tennis team put up a fight, but the Delta Eagles were too deep to overcome Tuesday night.
The Cougars lost 5-0 to the Eagles. Despite the Hoosier Heritage Conference loss, Greenfield-Central played strong and are continuing to grow as a team.
At No. 2 singles, Nate Real lost 6-0, 6-1, but showed his grit by winning three solid games in the second set. The No. 1 doubles tandem of Saben Fletcher and Dylan Wilburn battled in their 6-2, 6-2 loss.
The Cougars are 3-2 on the season and 0-2 in the HHC.
