The last two seasons, the Delmar Lady Wildcats’ varsity soccer team has had Indian River’s number. But on April 17, the Lady Indians returned the favor, beating Delmar 4-3 at the end of regulation.
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
Sara Purdum scored the second goal of a game that saw the Lady Indians beat out the Lady Wildcats 4-3 on Tuesday, April 17.
“We’re glad to have beaten them,” Indian River head coach Steve Kilby said.
“Getting the monkey off our back seems to be the phrase everyone is mentioning to us,” he continued.
The Lady Indians trailed Delmar in both of their loses the past couple seasons — including a 4-3 overtime loss in 2005 — but gained the advantage early and maintained the lead throughout the game this year to extend their record to 5-1.
The Lady Indians had the wind at their backs in the first half and Kilby decided that the best strategy was to play the ball long, which yielded them a 2-1 lead heading into halftime.
Kaitlin Binstead gave her team a 1-0 lead in the first minute of play by tapping in the loose ball off a Michelle Giorgilli corner kick. And Sara Purdum’s “beautiful goal” gave the Lady Indians a 2-0 lead before Delmar could counter just before the half.
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
Shawnee Seitz tries to out-maneuver her opponent.
“We had the wind at our back in the first half, so we decided to play it long where Sara finished on one, and in the second half we played the flanks,” Kilby explained. “We had tons of chances, but we just couldn’t finish.”
Both teams scored two goals in the second half, but Kilby was still pleased despite the second-half tie.
“Defensively, we played well the entire game,” he said. “Their first goal was on a free kick that was wind-blown. And their second came (with a 4-2 lead) after I’d made some substitutions late in the game.”
Coastal Point • RUSLANA LAMBERT
Molly Chamberlin breaks away before turning up field.
Purdum scored her second goal of the game to give the Lady Indians a 3-1 lead. And Molly Chamberlin’s goal countered Delmar’s free kick goal to give them a comfortable 4-2 lead.
The Lady Indians were set to play three more games in April, including home games against Seaford (after Coastal Point deadlines) and Cape Henlopen, before heading up-state to play Caravel Academy. Kilby is hopeful that his team can keep up the pace they’ve established so far.
“We don’t want a letdown,” Kilby said. “Especially after beating a team that we felt we should’ve beaten.
“We have to make sure we don’t lose our focus. We have to keep the golden ring in our focus,” he concluded.
The Lady Indians are set to play seven games in May but will finish out playing what are arguably three of the better teams in the state, in Middletown, Tower Hill and Dover.