Cardinal Newman goalkeeper Molly Rainwater dives for the ball as Mary Katherine Hall and Ben Lippen's Carrie Settle (r) try to get possession. A pair of sophomores helped the Cardinal Newman Lady Cardinals to a hard fought 2- 0 victory over the Ben Lippen Falcons at Ben Lippen Tuesday, March 24. Meredith Peter and Alexa Barnes each scored in the first half, and the Cardinals held on in the second half to improve to 2- 0 in region play and 3- 2 overall.

The Lady Cardinals were the aggressor in the first half out shooting Ben Lippen 6- 3. In fact, the Lady Falcons only managed one shot that wasn't a free kick and that was seven minutes into the match. Meanwhile, the Lady Cardinals blasted two shots in the first two minutes, but it wasn't until the 21st minute that they found pay dirt. Forward Nicole Onate centered the ball perfectly from the left corner of the field. Peter booted Onate's pass with a left foot into the left corner of the goal to give Cardinal Newman a 1- 0 lead.

Three minutes later, Ben Lippen's Sammi Osman launched a rocket on a free kick from near midfield, but freshman goalkeeper Molly Rainwater jumped high to make the save. Rainwater finished with three saves.

BL's Kristen Logan and CN's Rebecca Brown battle for the ball. Ben Lippen's eighth grade goalkeeper Merry Anna Cates collected four saves and almost had five, but in the 33rd minute, she and Barnes collided in front of the goal and both fell to the ground while the ball bounced around. Barnes hopped to her feet, went around Cates, and kicked the ball into the empty net to give Cardinal Newman the 2- 0 lead. While Falcons screamed for a foul, the referees concurred and ruled Cates never had possession of the ball. Therefore there was no foul and the goal was allowed.

Onate nearly scored for Cardinal Newman in the 35th minute, but her blast bounced off the crossbar. Osman got another free kick with less than two minutes remaining in the half, but her shot sailed left.

The Lady Falcons came out very aggressive in the second half. They took three shots in the first ten minutes and out shot Cardinal Newman 6- 3 overall, but could not convert. Every time the Lady Falcons got close, it seemed defender Andrea Martin and the rest of the Cardinal defense was there to deny them.

The loss drops Ben Lippen to 4- 5 overall and 2- 2 in region play.