Oakville Girls Soccer Off to Fast Start

On a chilly spring evening at Seckman High School last Thursday, the girls soccer team showed they're ready for competition in 2011, posting their third consecutive win to start the season.

"We're playing well, but we need to play smarter and not let teams back in it, and that means maintaining composure from start to finish," said coach Dave Robben.

Oakville's 4-3 win over Seckman saw the Tigers leading by two goals twice in the contest only to let the Jaguars claw back to make it a one-goal game. The last five minutes were too close for comfort for Robbens.

"Competition is strong throughout our schedule, and we will need every player, from starters to subs, to be able to play smart on the ball no matter what point in the game, or what the score is," Robbens said.

One player off to a solid start for the Tigers is junior striker Ashley Burton, who tallied three goals against Seckman, including a determined header just inside the post late in the second half to give Oakville a 3-1 lead.

Robbens acknowledges his team has intimidating size, including sophomore striker Nicole Mard, who stands at 5-foot-10, and was dominant when receiving balls in the box off of free kicks and corners.

Leadership will come from senior captains Ellie Growe and Kristen Dulle, who anchor the midfield for the Tigers.

In goal, Oakville looks to freshman Tina Haberberger to learn the ropes quickly and steady the defense. Despite conceding three goals against Seckman, Haberberger looked solid in net, with virtually no chance on a pair of the Seckman strikes, including a devastating shot from 30 yards out by Jaguar junior midfielder Donna Jolliff.

Oakville made several wholesale substitutions throughout the game, bringing in six players at a time, and this depth is something Robben believes will be a key to success this season.

"Everyone will deal with injuries, and our depth will play into our success, especially if we can bring in a second wave of players and create some confusion for the opposition, like we did tonight ... they (Oakville's subs) were knocking it around pretty well, and led to some opportunities," Robben said.

The fast start is exciting for Oakville, but they'll be tested soon in games against St. Joseph's on April 5, and Lafayette on April 12. The Tigers participate in the CYC tournament, which will be held at Duchesne, beginning April 25.