Lady Cougar soccer off to 10-3 start
By Jim Turner


Posted on September 21, 2014 9:52 PM



As the highest scoring team in the Fourth Region and having the third stingiest defense, the Logan County Lady Cougars have one of the best regions in Fourth Region Girls Soccer.

Coach Dan Duncan’s team has a 10-3 record and has scored 77 goals while giving up only 14. They are by far the superior team in a weak district that includes 3-7 Todd Central and 3-10 Franklin-Simpson. Russellville does not field a girls soccer team.

Their high-powered offense is led by juniors Breanna Baptiste and Emma Cartas and sophomore Lauren Allen. Baptiste has scored the most goals with 26 (an average of two per match) and Cartas is the points leader with 20 goals and 16 assists. Allen has scored 13 goals and recorded 7 assists for 20 points.

Sophomores Logan Williamson and Kathryn Smith are also involved in the offense with Williamson have 8 goals and 4 assists, and Smith 3 goals and an assist.

Junior Lauren Burnett has been a rock playing in net. She’s been the full-time goalkeeper in every match.

The nucleus of the team is young. Senior Brittney Barton is the exception. She has 3 each of goals and assists. The other seniors are Kelsey Coleman, Rachel Cunningham, Rebecca McElfresh and Molly Wharton.

The season began with a 9-1 rout of Warren Central. Baptiste scored 4 goals and Cartas adding 3. Also scoring were Allen and Barton. Cartas had two assists with Allen, Barton, Hanna Shelton and Williamson adding 1 each. Goalkeepers Lauren Burnett only allowed the Lady Dragons one score.

The second match found Coach Dan Duncan’s team being edged by South Warren 1-0. This is the only regional loss so far for the Lady Cougars.

The third match was the only one in which Logan didn’t come close to winning. They fell 6-0 to Graves County in the Daviess County Classic.

The eight-match win streak began with a 10-1 romp over Muhlenberg County. Baptiste again scored 4 goals and Cartas 2. Also scoring were Smith, Allen, Barton and Williamson. Cartas had 3 assists with Cheyana Roberts, Allen and Smith getting one each. Burnett was in goal.

Duncan used 23 players in this romp. In addition to Burnett and those who tallied points were Jacqueline Belcher, Sara Bills, Madison Bruner, Coleman, Cunningham, Meagan Ferguson, Holly Foster, Ivy  Galben, McElfresh, Grace McLellan, Desirae Powell, Shelton  Wharton and Williamson.

In a 6-1 win over Glasgow, Cartas scored 4 goals and had 2 assists. Baptiste and Allen each scored and recorded an assist. Burnett was the goalkeeper.

The first district match saw Burnett lead a 6-0 shutout of Todd Central. Baptiste scored 3 goals and added an assist. Williamson and Cartas each scored and had 2 assists each. Allen scored the other goal.

Another district shutout followed in a 10-0 romp over Franklin-Simpson.  Duncan used 23 players, including Courtney McGinnis. Baptiste had 5 goals while Allen scored 2 and piled up 4 assists. Cartas had 3 assists to go along with her goal. Wharton and Williamson also scored. It was the second straight shutout with Burnett in goal.

A couple close matches began with a 3-1 win over visiting University Heights. Baptiste scored 2 goals with Williamson getting the other one. Barton and Cartas were credited with an assist each.

Then came a 2-0 nail-biter at Christian County. Barton and Cartas scored the goals with Baptiste getting an assist. Burnett was in goal for third shutout in four matches.

In this tight match, Duncan used 14 players—Allen, Baptiste, Barton, Bills, Bruner, Burnett, Cartas, Coleman, Ferguson. Foster, Rigsby, Shelton, Smith and Williamson.

The Lady Cougars’ highest scoring match so far featured an 11-1 blasting of visiting Franklin-Simpson, which has been the second least productive team in the region so far, Ferguson and Cartas each scored 3 goals with Allen and Baptiste getting 2 each and Williamson one. Baptiste had 2 assists with Bruner, Williamson and Cartas each adding 1.

Baptiste, Cartas and Allen each scored 3 goals in a 10-0 blistering of Monroe County, and Smith scored the 10th goal. Barton and Cartas were credited with an assist. Twenty-two Lady Cougars saw action. It was the fourth time in 11 starts Duncan’s team had scored in double figures, even though he substitutes liberally.

The win streak came to an end last Monday in a 2-1 loss at Fort Campbell.  Allen scored the lone goal. Allen, Baptiste, Barton, Bills, Bruner, Burnett, Cartas, Coleman, Ferguson, Foster, Powell, Rigsby, Shelton, Smith and Williamson the 15 Lady Cougars chosen to play in the tight match.

Logan County bounced back big time Saturday by throttling Muhlenberg County 9-0 on the road. It was the fourth shutout in 13 matches for Burnett and fellow defenders.  Williamson scored 3 goals while Baptiste and Cartas each had 2. Allen and Smith added 1 goal each. Barton, Cartas and Smith each had an assist.

This week, Coach Duncan’s team has three matches in four days. They can sew up the district at Todd Central Monday at 7 p.m. Tuesday they face always tough Bowling Green at 7 p.m. before making the long trip to McLean County Thursday.


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