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No goals allowed: Tigers hold on to beat Warriors, 1-0

By Jay W. Bennett 4 min read

VINCENT -- Warren keeper Sydney Brothers turned away a baker's dozen shots in goal on a hot Thursday night, but it wasn't enough as Marietta swept the season series following a 1-0 win.

The Tigers of head coach Bill Mannix came out firing, but their first two shots weren't on frame.

However, with 38 seconds remaining in the eighth minute Parker Weppler got a ball into the box that Fiona Fowler finished as the Tigers improved to 5-0-1.

"Warren brings a tremendous amount of energy," admitted Mannix, whose program beat the Warriors 2-0 in their opener. "They bring a lot of energy, especially when they play Marietta, so we have to match their energy. We were very aggressive to start and we scored early and we kind of just settled in.

"We played pockets of very good minutes, but their energy was very high. They were a tough side tonight. She (Brothers) did a good job. We came out and tried to get shots on goal, but they just didn't fall."

The Warriors, who slipped to 2-2-2 for head coach Kylee Evans and are off until Athens invades at 6 p.m. next Thursday, had their lone shot on goal in the first half during the 20th minute. Kyleise Britton sent a cross toward the box that Emma Gorrell put on frame, but Tiger keeper Maura Misel gobbled it up.

Misel, who had earned five clean slates to open the campaign, wasn't credited with one in the match because she received a yellow card less than a minute into the second half and had to be replaced briefly by Fowler in goal.

"This is her first year as a varsity goalie, so her sister (Megan) has been our goalie the last four years and her sister graduated," said coach Evans. "Sydney has been a dancer all her life and never played soccer, so she came in her freshman year, worked under her sister and I'm so proud of her.

"I'm proud of our whole team and the team effort. If not for that first goal I think it would've ended up 0-0. Just so proud of how they battled through all that. I told the girls we just have to close that gap. We just have to keep closing that gap."

Marietta, which has a 1:30 p.m. Saturday road trip to Chillicothe, had a good look in the 45th minute by Annalise Spencer, but her shot went high.

Evans noted her team needs to continue improving in the final third of the field as they get closer to scoring.

Warren's other two shots on goal came via long free kicks from Callie Parsons in the 56th and 78th minute, but Misel saved them both.

"For us it's really about finding possession and passing to our feet and not getting frazzled, and making smart decisions," Evans stressed. "Playing our game and slowing the game down.

Marietta is a very heavy possession team and we have a hard time breaking them of their possession. That's something we will continue to work on.

"This is the hottest match I think we've played all year 100%. September 3rd, who would've thought? I'm really proud of these girls. They dug deep. We have seniors on this team who want to win this game more than anything, but they left everything on the field and that's all I can ask for."

Warren wasn't able to earn a corner kick and the Tigers had six set piece opportunities that went by the wayside.

"We're happy," said Mannix, who wants his squad to work on "the consistency of their play. They go from being really good to ehh, to really good to ehh.

"It's just a matter of getting a little more consistent. We're happy with where we are at. We just need to continue to get better."

Contact Jay Bennett at jbennett@newsandsentinel.com

Marietta girls 1, Warren 0

Warren (2-2-2) 0 0 – 0

Marietta (5-0-1) 1 0 – 1

M: Fiona Fowler (assist Parker Weppler) 8th minute

Team stats

Shots on goal: M 14, W 3; Corner kicks: M 6, W 0; Keeper saves: M 3 (Maura Misel 3, Fowler 0), W 13 (Sydney Brothers)

Next matches: Athens at Warren, 6 p.m. on Thursday; Marietta at Chillicothe, 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Starting at /week.