St. Scholastica Academy’s Doves put together a solid team effort Thursday night to blank the Mandeville Lady Skippers 3-0 in a district match that was rescheduled from Tuesday at Skipper Stadium.

SSA senior Tricia Johnson spearheaded the Doves’ attack, recording two goals and an assist. Johnson put the Doves on the board, placing a beautifully positioned shot at the far post off a solid assist from Kelly Gautreaux in the ninth minute. Gautreaux worked her way up the right side and sent a nice ball to Johnson, who banged the shot past a leaping Amy Howard in net for the Lady Skippers from 12 yards out.

Johnson said she felt the entire team played well.

Mandeville senior goalkeeper Amy Howard covers up the ball after coming out of net as SSA'€™s Michelle Duplantier races in. SSA blanked MHS 3-0. (Staff Photo by Mike Pervel)

“I thought our defense really stepped it up. They shut it down back there. I thought we played well together looking for the open player when passing,” Johnson said.

“We were hoping to come out with a win and it keeps us in the district race.”

SSA (8-2) upped its district record to 6-1, while MHS (17-2-2) is now 5-2 in district action. At press time, the Doves trailed district leader Fontainebleau by one game, heading into Friday’s district play.

SSA head coach Mike Ortner said his team played a strong match against a very talented Mandeville team.

“We knew if we lost (tonight), the district championship would no longer be in our control. With this win, we keep those hopes alive with a chance to play Fontainebleau again along with another tough one against Mandeville in the second round,” Ortner said.

“We have put a lot of pressure on Tricia (Johnson) and Kelly (Gautreaux) to come up big in big time games. They both certainly did that tonight. I couldn’t be more proud of them,” Ortner said.

SSA managed to control the offensive flow from the outset with Gautreaux using her dribbling ability to keep the ball in the MHS side of the field. Johnson’s goal helped the Doves play with confidence against the talented Lady Skippers’ defense. Just three minutes after the first goal, Gautreaux worked another pass to Johnson, who ripped a shot from the middle 20 yards out that ricocheted off the cross bar. In the 15th minute, Gautreaux crossed a ball to Johnson, but her header attempt sailed high.

SSA junior Kim Belmont, who returned to the Doves’ lineup for her first significant playing time after recovering from last year’s ACL surgery, fired off a close-in shot in the 25th minute, but was denied on Howard’s acrobatic diving save to keep the score 1-0.

Minutes later, SSA’s Michelle Duplantier got inside the MHS defense and took a shot that was deflected by Howard. Belmont was on the doorstep for a rebound attempt, but Howard came up big again with a save to hold off the threat.

MHS coach Sean Esker said his club played in a bit of a hurry on the offensive end in the first half.

“We didn’t do a good job of passing the ball. Instead of making an additional pass, we were too quick to shoot the ball. We didn’t quite make the connections that we wanted to on offense,” Esker said.

“I thought our players did a good job battling back holding them after that early first half goal. The quick goal in the second half is what really changed things,” Esker added.

Esker named Kirstin Kellar his top defender.

In the 37th minute, MHS’ Bailey Kleis took a free kick from the right side, sending a ball right on goal. SSA senior goalkeeper Lindsey Schwaner without hesitation made a leaping break on the ball, securing it before any Mandeville players could make an attempt to follow.

MHS, on its next possession, took a throw in and the Lady Skippers were able to maintain control with Rachelle Giroir putting a shot on goal, which slid wide left.

SSA was awarded a corner kick in the final moments of the first half with Howard making a save to keep the score at 1-0, which is how the half ended.

The Doves worked some early magic just two minutes into the second half with Johnson punching in her second goal to make it 2-0. Gautreaux was credited with the assist, finding Johnson with a cross and she finished from six yards out.

Ten minutes into the second half, MHS’ Rachel Robinson managed to get off a shot, but couldn’t find the mark.

During the next couple minutes, SSA went back on the offensive attack, winning the majority of 50-50 balls to continue pressuring the MHS goal. The Doves were awarded four corner kicks in just a span of a couple minutes, but the Lady Skippers’ defense was able to turn each of them away.

MHS’ K.K. Peters took a rare corner kick for the Lady Skippers in the 66th minute, but the Doves’ defense was able to clear the ball.

SSA’s Belmont experienced the joy of registering a goal in the 70th minute, which closed out the scoring. It had been a long time coming after returning to the lineup following her knee surgery. Belmont received an excellent pass from Johnson and blasted the ball in from about 18 yards out. Belmont talked about her long awaited goal.

“All I could think about was great ball Tricia (Johnson). It was the best goal ever. It was probably the best goal of my career. After my knee surgery, I didn’t know if I would ever play again,” Belmont said.

Belmont said when her coach told her she would be playing in the match she said she prayed a lot. I was really nervous (entering the game). I saw my family in the stands and I was excited,” Belmont added.

Belmont’s goal triggered Doves’ coach Ortner to leap in the air with excitement as he ran up the sideline showing his approval for his player, who worked so hard to come back from her surgery.

“Kim means so much to this team and to see her work so hard to come back, it was great to see that reward of having her score a goal. Knowing what she has been through that was one of my best moments as a coach and it means the world to me,” Ortner said.