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Maura Misel leads Tigers to 0-0 draw vs. Patriots

By Kerry Patrick 4 min read

DEVOLA - All the craziness with offensive opportunities netted exactly no goals as the high school girls soccer teams from Marietta and Wheeling Park played to a scoreless tie and kept the annual meeting in line with the previous five meetings.

Thursday night at Devola Field, keepers Maura Misel (Marietta) and Madeline Kirchner (Wheeling Park) combined for 17 saves. Since renewing the matchup, all six matches have been decided by one goal or less.

Moving forward, both coaches agreed the outcome provides a productive measuring stick. Especially for a Marietta outfit which started five sophomores and two freshmen.

"I really thought we could have gotten one in the back of the net, but I'm happy with a 0-0 draw," Marietta coach Bill Mannix said after his Tigers moved to 3-0-1. "Wheeling Park is a team that will compete for a state championship in West Virginia. They bring a lot of their team back from last year - they are not a young team.

"In our first three wins, we were not in sync. Tonight, our girls put the pressure on, were in their face, played physical and had good passing. They rose to the challenge. That's what we were looking for."

As soon as the clock went into motion, both sides kept the pressure on the respective defenses. Marietta's saves included numerous occasions where Misel was challenged by a Wheeling Park striker taking shots from just inside the box and the junior hitting the ground to corral the ball or simply cradling the attempt and tucking it in with her arms.

One of Misel's finest moments occurred 10 minutes into the second half. Wheeling Park nearly pulled off a hockey assist where two passes beyond midfield eventually found the Patriots' Reagan Ricker. Ricker was on Misel's radar from point blank range, but a diving save snuffed out the WP possession.

Entering her second year as the Marietta starting keeper, Misel gets amped for quality programs like WP and rising up to the challenge.

"I like how fast-paced it is and how many saves I can get because I haven't got much action back there yet - this was a big test for me," Misel said after making nine saves and posting her fourth shutout in as many matches this season. "We definitely played more physical tonight against a high-caliber team.

The Marietta schedule is designed to prepare the girls so that when postseason arrives they are battle-tested. Misel likes what she sees so far out of the youth on the team.

"I really like how good they listen - and they are very good at taking criticism," Misel continued. "It's fun to see all the girls grow. I'm excited about this season."

Marietta's offense countered with its share of pushing the ball deep into WP territory. The Patriots escaped a close call midway into the second half when Grace Spencer's direct kick hit the crossbar. In a crowd, one of her teammates tracked down the rebound, put a shot on goal but a save was made.

Later in the half, Tiger sophomore Blaire Reed used her speed to create a breakaway with 11 minutes remaining. Kirchner was up to the task as Reed attempted her shot on goal and deflected the ball just enough to avoid finding the back of the net.

"Both teams had their chances - I'm not going to say the better team won because nobody won," WP coach Tom Smioth said. "Marietta is a very good team. Every year, we always have competitive games with them.

"These are always enjoyable games. This match is kind of a measuring stick for us."

High School Girls Soccer

At Devola Field

WP (1-0-2) 0 0 - 0

MHS (3-0-1) 0 0 - 0

Keeper saves: Wheeling Park (Madeline Kirchner 8), Marietta (Maura Misel 9)

Next match: Nitro at Marietta, 6 p.m. Tuesday; Wheeling Park at Spring Mills, 11 a.m. Saturday

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