Fairfield hosts Ripley in SHAC soccer action on Wednesday

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Fairfield played host to Ripley on Wednesday evening in Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) boys and girls soccer action. The Lady Lions were the first game of the night and proved that they were not to be messed with as they recorded a 5 – 0 win.

Much of the first half was a back and forth game between the Lady Lions and the Lady Blue Jays as neither team was able to get much going offensively. Alexia Sheppard, of Fairfield, ended the 0 – 0 tie with 11:57 to play in the first half to give her team the momentum it needed.

Sheppard added another goal at the 2:26 mark of the first half to give her team a 2 – 0 lead heading into half time.

The Lady Lions were putting pressure on the Ripley keeper for much of the first half but were just off the mark on several shots.

The second half was more of the same for the Highland County girls as they were able to score three goals in the second half to secure the victory.

Ashley Moore added the third goal of the game for the Lady Lions at the 24:57 mark of the second half to get Fairfield rolling again. Shay Turner got in on the action with just over nine minutes to play when she netted a goal of her own to put the Lady Lions up 4 – 0.

Sheppard completed the hat trick with 5:07 to go in the game to wrap up the solid performance for Fairfield and improve the record to 3 – 2 on the season.

Lady Lions head coach Paij Shelton was pleased with the win after the game but, felt her team could have played better.

“I am not completely satisfied. Because yeah a win is a win and we will take it. But, at the same time I didn’t feel like we won it the way I think we should have. We probably had about 40 shots on goal and it is unacceptable to only have five on the scoreboard.”

The boys team did not fare as well dropping their game against the Blue Jays by a final of 6 – 0.

The Lions in the first half played a tremendous game with the exception of a defensive lapse less than a minute in to put Ripley up 1 – 0 early.

James Bentley was magnificent in goal for the Lions in the first half as he made several spectacular saves the prevented the score from being worse.

After holding the Blue Jays scoreless after the initial lapse early in the first half the Lions could hold their head high heading into half time trailing only 1 – 0.

The second half was a different story for the Lions as they came out flat. Ripley wasted little time capitalizing as they scored two goals in the first five minutes of the second half to ice it.

Ripley would add three more goals in the half to provide the final score.

Lions head coach Jacob Alexander said after the game, “The first half we played a great half after having a terrible mental lapse 21 seconds into the game and then holding them scoreless from that point. We are going to build off the first half and forget about the second half.”

Both teams will be abck in action on Thursday when they host SHAC rivals the Fayetteville Rockets.

Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.

Alexia Sheppard maneuvers between two Ripley defenders on Wednesday at Fairfield High School. Sheppard recorded a hat trick to lead the Lady Lions to a victory.
http://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2017/09/web1_Fairfield-Girls-Soccer.jpgAlexia Sheppard maneuvers between two Ripley defenders on Wednesday at Fairfield High School. Sheppard recorded a hat trick to lead the Lady Lions to a victory. Ryan Applegate | The Times-Gazette

By Ryan Applegate

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