Howard County girls soccer notebook: third edition

Get your votes in by Saturday, Oct. 1 at 12 p.m.:

Photo of the day: Glenelg celebrate after sophomore Emily Nalls scored the game-winning overtime goal against Wilde Lake on Sept. 23 to clinch the, 2-1, win.

By the Numbers: In just the past week (Sept. 21- Sept. 28) there has been 5 games that have gone into overtime with Wilde Lake playing its last 4 games in OT… Glenelg Country sophomore goalkeeper Shay Ahearn tallied 27 saves in the Dragons, 1-0, overtime loss against Mt. de Sales on Sept. 22… Atholton has registered 23 goals in eight games this season, while 7 other county teams have only tallied 8 goals or less… Reservoir has given up 3 goals this year – the least in the county – and 0 of which came in the run of play (two free kicks, corner kick and penalty kick).

Goalkeepers of the Week: There was so many top performances in net this past week and these few really stood out, needing a little bit of a shout out…

Jenna Hutchision, Wilde Lake (sophomore): Hutchison backed up a stellar performance against Glenelg –making numerous impressive stops to tally eight saves in the overtime loss – to earn her team the 0-0 tie on Sept. 27 against Howard. The sophomore made numerous diving stops throughout the game and finished with a season-high 23 saves.

Vicki Howard, Hammond (senior): The senior often kept the Golden Bears in games last season – and was a huge factor in why Hammond played in eight overtimes last season. Howard played big in the Golden Bears' 1-0 losses to Atholton and Howard, but played even better against Long Reach on Sept. 27. Withstanding pressure throughout the game, while making two point-blank saves in the process and ultimately finished with 16 stops to help Hammond gather its first county win of the season.

Mya McConnell, Howard (sophomore): in her first season on varsity, the sophomore has impressed thus far and has gotten better with each match. McConnell was a big reason why the Lions escaped with four, 1-0, wins this year and has posted five shutouts this season through eight games. McConnell has collected 35 saves in the past three games combined.

Emma Meininger, Marriotts Ridge (junior): Meininger has helped the Mustangs stay in the mix of the county race by keeping her team in games, especially as of late. Marriotts Ridge had a tough matchup against Centennial on Sept. 27 and although the Eagles out-shot the Mustangs, 14-4, on the night, it was Meininger's play in net that allowed Marriotts Ridge to settle for the, 1-1, tie. The junior made several impressive diving stops and ultimately finished with 13 saves in the game.

Shay Ahearn, Glenelg Country (sophomore): the athletic sophomore started the season posting back-to-back shutouts, while helping the Dragons start the season, 3-0. In Glenelg Country's first loss of the year against Mt. de Sales on Sept. 22 it was Ahearn who kept her team in the game, and gave the Dragons a chance to settle for a tie. The game was played mostly on Glenelg Country's defensive side, and Ahearn withstood the pressure throughout, finishing with 23 saves. She nearly came up with the biggest save of the game on a breakaway with seconds left in the first overtime, but the Sailors put away the rebound for the win. Ahearn has registered 50 saves through five games this season.

Thoughts… county play continued with up-and-down results, with teams upsetting teams, but the main constant has been Atholton. The Raiders are the only unbeaten team in county play and own the league's best overall record as well. They have a strong hold of the county right now, especially with wins over Howard and Centennial. They still have to play Reservoir – that matchup is set for Oct. 14, which has the potential to become a county championship game. Reservoir holds the best defense – allowing just three goals against – while Atholton boasts the league's best offense – averaging nearly three goals a game. But teams that can pull off some upsets down the stretch and in the postseason? Look out for Marriotts Ridge, Long Reach and Wilde Lake. The three teams combined for just two wins thus far, but have been playing well on the field as of late, but just have not been able to finish out games. Teams have to play these three clubs hard or they will be looking at an unfortunate loss.

Standings as of 9/28: Atholton (5-0 county, 7-1 overall); Reservoir (4-1-1, 5-1-1); Howard (4-2-2, 3-1-2); River Hill (3-2-1, 5-2-1); Glenelg (2-1-2, 4-1-2); Centennial (2-2-1, 5-2-1); Marriotts Ridge (2-1-2, 2-3-3); Mt. Hebron (2-3, 4-4); Wilde Lake (1-3-1, 1-4-1); Hammond (1-4, 3-4); Long Reach (0-2-3, 0-2-4); Oakland Mills (0-5, 0-8); Glenelg Country (3-2 IAAM B, 3-2); Chapelgate (1-5 IAAM C, 1-7).

Check out last week's edition of the Howard County girls notebook:

And stay updated by following @MonicaDIppolito