Dayton Dutch Lions News Release -- www.dutchlionsfc.com
Friday, July 4, 2014
WEST CARROLLTON, Ohio -- The Gulf Coast Texans took a 3-1 victory against the Dayton Dutch Lions FC at DOC Stadium on Friday afternoon to move into second place in the W-League's Southeastern Conference. Dayton was hoping to end their up and down season on a positive note, but Gulf Coast took three important points in their pursuit of a berth in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game.
The Dutch Lions came out with quick passing and a good pace. The beginning of the half saw the majority of play in the Texans half as the Dutch Lions continued to pass and push forward with possession. Their pressure created four chances in the first 20 minutes for the Dutch Lions, but none were good enough for a goal.
The Texans would get their first good chance in the 25th minute when Happy Amadu found Maria Jose Rosas just right of the Dutch Lions goal, but Dayton goalkeeper Ayanna Parker came out to save and keep the game scoreless. Rojas would get another chance on a breakaway in the 31st minute, but the shot would go directly to Parker, but five minutes later Rojas would not miss as her lifted finish put her side up 1-0.
The Texans would then turn up the heat on the Dutch Lions and created turmoil in front of Dayton’s goal over the next few minutes. That pressure would tell in the 42nd minute when Kaitlyn Culotta got in behind the defense to give her side a two-goal advantage at the break.
Dayton possessed the ball well again to start the second half, and the Dutch Lions almost pulled a goal back in the 48th when Gemma Craine ran down the right and pushed a ball through to Shan Jones. The forward continued her run and beat her defender around the corner, only for Texans goalkeeper Carrie Crook to make the save.
Jones had another opportunity in the 51st minute that saw Gulf Coast’s Nina Rasbatt-Smith and Crook combine to preserve the Texans' two-goal lead. Two minutes later Jones would be rewarded for her persistence as she fired a ball from the right side into the back of the Texans net to put the Lady Lions on the board.
Almost immediately, though, the Texans would get back on the front foot as the Dutch Lions battled to shut down their attack. Dayton was able to withstand the pressure until Rojas took the ball and dribbled through several orange jerseys in the 71st minute before firing home another looping shot over the head of Parker for her second goal of the afternoon and the Texans' third of the game.
The game became stretched late on as both teams pressed and looked for additional goals. Dayton’s Parker would make several saves to keep the Dutch Lions in the game, but her efforts were not enough as the Dutch Lions lost their last game of the season.
“Very hard game today as we knew it would be,” said Dayton Dutch Lions Women’s Coach Gavin MacLeod. “Gulf Coast are a very good attacking team. All the credit in the world goes to our girls for the effort and commitment and dedication getting to the defensive side of the ball today. The small errors that we have been making all season have been ruthlessly punished by the other teams in this conference as was the case today. Unfortunately that has led us to the last game of the season and we are not in the playoffs.
"As with any experience, you are always going to get positives and negatives. I think many of our players have shown that as a whole this is the level they should be playing at and many of them have done themselves proud this season.”
The Dayton Dutch Lions FC Women thank you for your support in 2014 and look forward to seeing you in the stands in 2015. For season and individual game tickets, visit the Dutch Lions website.