Rams’ season ends in regional finals

The Glenwood girls soccer team’s season came to an end Friday in the Class 2A, Region 2 finals in Council Bluffs.

Lewis Central (17-2), ranked No. 2 in the state, built a 3-1 halftime lead and added an insurance goal in the opening minutes of the second half to down No. 11 ranked Rams 4-1 in the regional finals.

Glenwood coach Amy Benson said her short-handed team did play its best on a night they needed to be nearly perfect to beat the Titans, winners of three of the last four state soccer championships.

The Rams were without their No. 1 goalkeeper in the match. Grace Knightser injured a knee two weeks ago and fought through the pain to post a clean sheet in the 7-0 semifinal win over Panorama but in warmups Friday, the injury flared up again.

Enter back up goalkeeper, Ryley Nebel.

“She did tremendous and did the best she could,” Benson said of Nebel. “Two of their goals, she just wasn’t tall enough. We worked really hard. This wasn’t the best game we’ve played but it wasn’t due to lack of effort.”

Three of the Titans’ goals came on set pieces. The first coming off a nifty corner kick from Taylor Gregory to Hana Daoudi, who headed it for the 1-0 lead. The Rams would respond three minutes later when Nora Dougherty booted in a deflected direct kick from Avery Blasdel.  

But the goal would be the last for the Rams.

The Titans’ Haley Bach added a goal in the in the 16th minute and Daoudi capped a hat trick with goals in the 38th minute and the opening minutes of the second half.

Time and again the Titans seemed willing to concede the edges to the Rams but effectively clogged the middle of the field to disrupt their rhythm. The Titans held a 13 to shots-on-goal advantage.

“It just wasn’t our night tonight,” Benson said.

The Titans opened state play against Dallas Center-Grimes yesterday afternoon. Results of that match were not available as of publication.

With the loss, the Rams finish the season with a 14-5 record and six Ram seniors finish their high school careers. All six, Benson said, will be sorely missed.

“We are definitely going to miss them tremendously. There is going to be a huge gap without them. Hopefully we’ll be able to figure out how to fill what they’ve done the last four years and I’m really proud of how far they’ve come.”