Simon Kenton girls soccer learns by winning

INDEPENDENCE - After losing 4-0 to defending Ninth Region champion Notre Dame Sept. 7, the Simon Kenton girls soccer team needed a boost of confidence.

They got it by winning the Lady Knights Challenge Cup hosted by Lexington Catholic last week. SK beat Lexington Catholic 1-0, Tates Creek 2-1 and Highlands 2-0 to improve to 10-2-1.

“It was a good result,” said head coach Rob Zoeller. “We get better each game. We try to stay focused on our goal of getting better each day. It’s a matter of figuring out where all the pieces go.”

SK avenged an earlier 2-1 loss to TC by beating the Commodores in penalty kicks, then won the final by handing Northern Kentucky contender Highlands its first loss of the season.

“This tournament has some of the best in the state,” Zoeller said. “History shows that the team that wins this event usually has a chance to do something special at the end of the season.”

Getting there involved bouncing back from the Notre Dame loss, which came right after the Pioneers knocked off a nationally ranked team from Indiana.

“(Notre Dame) played really well,” Zoeller said. “There were some critical moments in the first 15 minutes where they outplayed us. When you play these types of games there are many little things that can change the game. We didn’t play well but a lot of the credit goes to Notre Dame.”

Senior Abigail Zoeller had a goal and assist against Highlands. Hannah Allen scored in the final as well and Skylin Yates had the shutout. Zoeller also had the goal in regulation against Tates Creek. For the season, Zoeller has 15 goals and nine assists. Haley Dougherty has 13 goals.

“We’ve had some kids playing out of position,” Coach Zoeller said. “Tatum Ponzer, we moved her from wide to central and she has really responded.”

SK plays at Campbell County Sept. 24 and the coach will focus on improvement for the postseason.

“If you play your best in August, it’s not good because that’s hard to maintain,” Zoeller said. “Every game, positive or negative, is a learning experience. Right now, we all get to wake up and there’s another game.”

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