Scholastic Notes

Kentucky

ERMLER ROCKETS PAST COLLEGIATE

Michelle Esterle remembered the feeling when Louisville Assumption (Ky.), battling for the Kentucky state title deep in overtime, lost to Sacred Heart in the final 13 seconds of the scheduled period of extra time.

"It was the worst feeling in the world," she told The Louisville Courier-Journal. "Last year we got it taken away from us."

But Ermler made sure that Assumption would do the taking. The Rockets edged Louisville Collegiate (Ky.) 2-1 on a goal scored by Brittney Ermler in the 74th minute of play.

''The ball was in the middle, I hit it in (and) basically it went past the goalie,'' she deadpanned.

Esterle, the Rockets emotional and team leader, was lost about nine minutes before the game-winning goal when she came out of the game with cramping in both legs during the 11-on-11 portion of golden-goal overtime.

The four-games-in-four-days format had obviously taken a toll.

''We massaged it and thought it had gone away,'' Esterle told The Courier-Journal. ''I had the most beautiful opportunity to dribble the ball, and I thought, 'What the heck, I'll go for it.' Both of my legs cramped up so bad I just could not run anymore.''

''She is extremely fast on her feet; she can dodge, carry the ball and cross it,'' Assumption coach Debbie Judd said of her star player. ''It did hurt us a little bit, but we have plenty of people on the bench who can come in and help fill her position.''

Evidently. Even when the teams were playing 7-on-7 in the second overtime, Collegiate could not use the extra time and space for the game-winner.

GUARGLIADO IS ASSUMPTION'S SAVING GRACE

Ann Guargliado had the final stroke covered.

She just didn't have a chance to make the save.

With Louisville Assumption (Ky.) and archrival Louisville Collegiate (Ky.) in a penalty stroke shootout to determine the winner of the 30th Apple Tournament, Leiah Rouben stepped to the seven-yard spot to try to knot the shootout score with Collegiate's final shot.

Rouben's flick, to her dominant left side, went wide of the post and a diving Guargliado, giving Assumption the 2-1 stroke win after the teams finished regulation and overtime knotted 2-2.

''This was a great game, and it is a shame it went down to strokes because it's kind of like flipping a coin to end the game,'' Assumption coach Debbie Judd remarked to the Louisville Courier-Journal. ''I was proud of the way our team came through in overtime after coming from behind twice. I am looking forward to this season, to see where this team is going to go.''

Texas

THAT'S USING YOUR HEAD

It has gotten too easy for Fort Worth Trinity Valley (Tex.) to win games the last three years. And even with new head coach Andrea Bialaski directing the team when head coach Amanda Janney accepted an assistantship at James Madison University, the Trojans have still been dominant, outscoring their opponents in their first three games 18-0.

In a 7-0 win over Addison Greenhill (Tex.), goalkeeper Emily Blackman faced a rising flick that was heading towards the cage. In a moment of indecision, however, she decided not to use her blocker glove to repel the ball, but instead headed the ball away with her mask.

According to the team's website, the coaches and bench burst out laughing for the next several minutes.

For last year's notes, click here.