JACKSON - Warren's girls' soccer team is hoping for some Saturday morning glory.
On that day at 10 a.m., the No. 3-seeded Lady Warriors, a 4-1 winner over No. 2-seeded Chillicothe Unioto in an OHSAA Girls Soccer Division II District Tournament semifinal match at Holzer Field in Alumni Stadium Tuesday night, is scheduled to face top-seeded Hillsboro in a championship tilt.
Hillsboro, with Trista Rhodes getting a hat trick, blanked Circleville Logan Elm, 4-0, in Tuesday's other district semi at Holzer Field.
Against Mark Williamson-coached Unioto (14-4), Raelyn Gardner paced Ekrem Eksi-coached Warren with two first-half goals. Dickerson also had a score on a penalty kick. In the second half, freshman Raeli Barnes notched an insurance goal.
Gardner got a rebound goal in the 17th minute of play to stake the Lady Warriors (12-1-5) to a 1-0 advantage. The score was the talented junior's 12th of the season.
Gardner also figured in Warren's second goal less than two minutes later when she was fouled in the penalty box by a Lady Sherman defender.
Fact Box
Girls soccer
Warren 4, Unioto 1
District semifinal
at Holzer Field
Warren (12-1-5) 3 1 - 4
Chillicothe Unioto (14-4) 1 0 - 1
1st half
W: Raelyn Gardner (12), unassisted, 17th minute
W: Melissa Dickerson (18), (penalty kick), 19th minute
W: Gardner (13), unassisted, 35th minute
U: Kayla Pele, unassisted, 37th minute
2nd half
W: Raeli Barnes (14), unassisted, 78th minute
team stats
shots: W 15, U 7
saves: W (Janelle Barth) 5, U (Ashley Flautt) 6
corner kicks: W 8, U 2
next match: Warren vs. Hillsboro in a district final at Jackson at 10 a.m. Saturday
On the ensuing penalty kick, Dickerson, a senior, converted to stretch the Lady Warrior lead to 2-0. Dickerson, a 2011 All-Ohio honoree, now leads the royal blue and white team with 18 goals and 17 assists.
About five minutes before halftime, Gardner got her second goal of the match shortly after a Lady Warrior corner kick.
Unioto finally got on the scoreboard in the 37th minute on a Kayla Pele goal, and trailed Warren 3-1 at the break.
Capping all the scoring late in the second half, Barnes notched her 14th goal.
NOTES: It's been a season of firsts for the Warren girls' soccer program. Earlier, the Lady Warriors won their first Southeastern Ohio Athletic League championship. The win over Unioto was their first district tournament victory...Before Tuesday night's match, Unioto had blanked four consecutive opponents.
