Lady Hornets shut out El Dorado
EDITOR’S NOTE: Because the look back at each day in Bryant athletic history has been so favorably received during the time when there was no sports during the COVID-19 shutdown, BryantDaily.com will continue posting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
EL DORADO — Junior Ashlee Mantooth had four goals and goalkeeper Amy Teeter had seven saves as the Bryant Lady Hornets bounced back from their first loss of the season with a 5-0 victory over the El Dorado Lady Wildcats Friday.
The Hornets, however, had a rougher time and with three starters out and down a man for the final 12 minutes, the Hornets succumbed, 4-2, to the Wildcats.
Teeter had four saves in a tight first half in which the only score of the contest was a goal by senior Amber Wells off an assist from Katie Powell.
But the Lady Hornets busted the game open in the second half as Mantooth caught fire and Bryant controlled the ball.
“Mid-fielders Laura Bunten and Amy Parnell played very well,” commented Lady Hornets coach Drew Bunten. “Our defense played extremely well.”
Bunten noted the defensive efforts of freshman Judy Jones, sophomore Shannon Baker, junior Natalie Ray and senior Tina Robinson.
After Mantooth had made it 2-0 early in the second half, she took a feed from Wells and knocked in another goal. She finished up the scoring with a pair of direct kicks.
The Lady Hornets improved to 3-1 overall, 2-0 in conference play with the victory.
Meanwhile, the boys dropped to 2-2 and 1-1 with a tough match against the Wildcats.
“Even though we were missing three starters and played the last 12 minutes a man down, the guys played with great effort and left all their energy on the field,” said Bryant coach Bob Williams. “I’m proud of the spirit and never-quit attitude they displayed and we will continue to build on that.
“We had significantly more shots on goal but were not able to get them past the (El Dorado) keeper,” Williams recalled. “Nick Harbert rattled the post a couple of times. Josh Williams and Max Johnston also had shots barely go wide of the mark.”
El Dorado took the early lead when Taylor Magee’s kick floated over Bryant’s keeper and dropped into the goalmouth about five minutes in.
Magee scored again with 15 minutes left in the first half and the 2-0 lead held until the break.
The Hornets opened the second had with a goal just two minutes in as Casey Jacuzzi got the ball to Josh Ault for the scoring kick.
El Dorado came back two minutes later when a strong clear from a Bryant defender caromed off an El Dorado player’s chest and into the goal, making it 3-1.
Ault, after being pushed down in the box, converted a penalty kick at 31 minutes into the half to get the Hornets back within one.
Bryant pushed midfielder Williams and defending Mike Conedy up to help generate a stronger attack as time dwindled down.
“We were hoping to tie the game and force a shootout,” Coach Williams explained.
El Dorado took advantage, however, scoring its fourth goal off a good cross.
“Overall, our guys played well given the situation,” Coach Williams said. “We must get this game behind us, though, and focus on Hot Springs.”
The Hot Springs teams were set to visit Bryant on Tuesday.
