Lindbergh Girls Soccer Scoring Goals, Turning Heads

Like it or not, the Lindbergh girls soccer team is done flying under the radar.

The Flyers used goals from senior Abby Rossi and junior Katie Campbell to knock off Webster Groves 2-0 on Saturday night in the championship game of the Webster-Kirkwood Classic at Kirkwood High School.

Lindbergh improved to 9-1 after winning its seventh consecutive match.

The Flyers have quietly built a solid state-contending squad that features pinpoint ball control and a fundamentally strong defense.

Now, thanks to the current string of successes, coach Mark Giesing's squad is burdened with expectations.

The secret is out.

"We actually like it the other way, so we can sneak up on people," explained Campbell. "We're used to doing it that way.

Added Rossi, "No one thinks of us like they do the big teams like St. Joe's. That's OK. It just makes us come out and play harder."

The Flyers turned in one of their most impressive efforts of the season against Webster, which fell to 11-6. They dominated play in the opening half and then threw a blanket over the Statesmen attack over the final 40 minutes.

"We're a possession-type team," said Giesing. "And when we do that right, we can be pretty successful."

Rossi, in her fourth year in the program, scored off a rebound in the 31st minute to give the Flyers the lead. Campbell added an insurance tally with less than nine minutes remaining. Junior goalkeeper Alexis Griess recorded her fifth shutout of the season, making several fine saves early in the second half with her team clinging to a 1-0 lead.

The Flyers use 17 players on a regular basis. Rossi did not start, but was inserted into the lineup with 14 minutes left in the first half in order to provide an offensive spark. She did just that as she pounced on a rebound off a hard shot by junior Alison Ries. Webster goalie Jessica Perry made the initial save, but the ball bounced free right in front of Rossi, who calmly put it into the net for her first goal of the season.

"She coughed it up and I was right there at the right time," said Rossi. "Coach is always telling me to crash (the net) and that's what I did."

Giesing said the tally was typical of the hard-working Rossi.

"That goal defines her style of play," he said. "She's always out there hustling."

Webster came out strong in the second half and put together a pair of solid scoring chances. Juniors Stevie Wunderlich and Jordan Thompson along with senior Annie Paloucek came the closest to scoring.

"It took a while, but we finally started generating some chances," said Webster coach Chris Allen.

But the Flyers held off the challenge. Campbell finally put the match away with a perfectly-placed rocket from 19 yards out. It was her fifth goal of the season.

The triumph in the eight-team affair not only gives the Flyers some notoriety, but it also serves as a shot in the arm for the second half of the season.

"It's been a fun year so far," said Giesing. "We've certainly got a great group of girls."

The Flyers, who lost to Summit in the third game of the season, have started to catch the eye of coaches around the area. Allen is among the believers.

"The best part is they play the game the right way," he said. "They're fun to watch."

Jen Jung, Annie Schwartz, Ashley Harbaugh and Anna Noll helped the offensive attack on Saturday. Angela Black and Rachel Greer also made some noise.

"We go hard from end line to end line," says Rossi. "That's just the way we play."

Lindbergh, which has outscored its opponents 24-2 during the seven-game winning streak, will face Suburban West Conference rival Oakville on Monday at 5 p.m.