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Senior midfielder Christen Westphal scored a goal to help the Walsh Jesuit girls soccer team to a 3-0 win over Canfield in their Division II regional semifinal.

RAVENNA, Ohio -- The Walsh Jesuit Warriors used a strong defensive effort to shut out the Canfield Cardinals 3-0 in their girls Division II soccer regional semifinal game Wednesday night at Ravenna Stadium.

Walsh has not allowed a goal in the four state tournament games it has played.  The unbeaten streak for the Warriors (18-0-2) now totals 35 games.

After the game, Walsh head coach Dino McIntyre told his team, “We got through.  Good Job.  We worked hard.”

The Warriors jumped on the scoreboard in the eighth minute of the first half.  Junior forward Sandra Yu took the ball on the right side of the penalty area and delivered a perfect cross to Kennedy Payne.  The junior forward put the ball in the net from 10 yards out past Canfield goalkeeper Olivia Governor to give the Warriors a 1-0 lead.

For the remainder of the first half, the Warriors offense was stymied by the Cardinals defense.  Canfield had 10 players situated within 25-30 yards of the goal for the majority of the first half.  Walsh Jesuit managed five shots on goal in the first half and had seven corner kicks, but couldn’t find the back of the net.

Canfield did not have a shot on goal in the first half and had only one corner kick as the Cardinals seemed content to keep the Warriors in check.

The Warriors appeared to get their second goal early in the second half.  Alyson Smigel crossed a pass into the 6-yard box.  Yu had the ball glance off her shoulder and into the net, but the referee called a handball, and the goal was disallowed.

The Warriors’ Christen Westphal ended all doubt about the outcome.  Following a corner kick, Westphal was fouled on the left sideline by a Canfield defender.  Westphal lined up the free kick from 30 yards out aiming for the back post.  Governor had to worry about three Walsh players in front of her and forgot about the shot by Westphal.  The senior midfielder scored for a 2-0 lead.

“I always aim for the goal mouth,” Westphal said. “If the goalie can’t get it, it will go in. I aimed for the back post and it happened to go in.”

The final Walsh goal came off a corner kick by Westphal.  Sophomore midfielder Maddy Anzelc was right on the doorstep and headed the ball past Governor for a 3-0 lead.

‘Westphal was our best player today,” McIntyre said. “She was all over the place.  She served some awesome restarts, but we didn’t capitalize until the last one.”

The Warriors will play for the Division II regional championship on Saturday afternoon at Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School against Rocky River.

ON THE SCOREBOARD

Walsh Jesuit (18-0-2) 1 – 2 =3

Canfield (9-8-3) 0 – 0 = 0

FIRST HALF

WJ – Kennedy Payne (Sandra Yu) 7:35

SECOND HALF

WJ – Christen Westphal (Unassisted) 54:54

WJ – Maddy Anzelc (Westphal) 67:37