NTL GIRLS' SOCCER: THOMAN NETS HAT TRICK AS NEB TOPS WYALUSING (2022-09-30)

BY CHRIS MANNING
Northern Tier Sports Report
ROME — If Northeast Bradford was feeling any side effects from their loss to Troy earlier in the week, they didn’t show it against Wyalusing, beating the Rams 3-0 on senior night during NTL girls’ soccer action Thursday.

The win avenges a 6-5 loss from a couple weeks ago in Wyalusing on their senior night.

“We came out real strong,” said Panther coach Josh Thoman. “Then we just kind of died throughout the whole game, and we still pulled it off, but we didn’t play at the level that we’re capable of playing.”

Kayleigh Thoman had a hat trick for NEB, including a throw in goal that deflected off a Wyalusing player. Her two quick goals early gave the Panthers a 2-0 lead, and saw the Rams playing catch up the entire game.

“We gave up a couple bad goals in the beginning that, I don’t know what happened - mis-coomunication or what, but they shouldn’t have happened,” said Wyalusing coach Gary Haley. “But after that the girls played really good. It was back and forth. Northeast has a really good team, they had some good shots, and we had some shots, that were close to going in, and sit just didn’t work out our way today.”

Thoman almost had the hat trick by halftime, as a late first half shot bounced off the post.

In the second half Wyalusing began to knock on NEB’s door, as Elana Jennings made a run, nearly taking it all the way to the goal line before Panther keeper Leah Beebe stopped her.

That would set up a flurry of action late in the game, beginning with two NEB chances that were just off. A Lizzie Gorsline shot hit off the post, and Melanie Shumway’s follow was over the cross-bar.

Then came a three minute burst for the Rams that would like to have back, beginning with Olivia Haley getting a 1-on-1 with Beebe. Beebe came out to challenge, and took Haley’s shot head on, deflecting it away with just under 10 minute to play.

Less than a minute later Layla Botts had a shot that was deflected across the face of the goal, but ultimately went out of bounds. Then, with 7:20 left to play. Haley had an open look in the box, just to see her shot clang off the post.

NEB would finally put the game away with 1:08 left as Alena Beebe found Thoman inside the six, and Thoman hit it home for the hat trick.

NEB had an 18-12 edge in shots, as Beebe made 12 saves in net for the Panthers to get the shutout. Wyalusing keeper Sophie Alvarez had 15 saves in goal.

That sends Wyalusing to their fourth loss in six games after starting the year 6-1. They plan to regroup with a few practices before taking on Towanda next Wednesday.

“We’ve got to refine our passes,” said Haley. “We have the right idea, but sometimes our passes are not on, they’re a little bit behind, so we tell the girls it’s just a matter of fixing the little things. If we can do that, we fee like we can finish strong, but we’ve got to fix those little things.”

The Panthers will also focus on possessing the ball as they look to finish the season strong.

“Passing in tight spaces,” explained Thoman. “Because, we kept the ball on their side in the first half.”

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PHOTO CAPTION: NEB’s Kayleigh Thoman drives the ball up field…PHOTOS BY CHRIS MANNING