Marie Reimann gives Marlena Schlattmann a hug after Brussels High School won the girls Division IV title in the DODDS-Europe soccer championship tournament on Friday. Brussels beat Alconbury 5-1, for its second-straight crown. Schlattmann scored twice during the championship game. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Marie Reimann gives Marlena Schlattmann a hug after Brussels High School won the girls Division IV title in the DODDS-Europe soccer championship tournament on Friday. Brussels beat Alconbury 5-1, for its second-straight crown. Schlattmann scored twice during the championship game. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
Lizz McVicker, 10, a junior from Brussels High School, fires the ball between Alconbury's Jelliz Calata and Brooke Bagnall during the title game of the DODDS-Europe girls Division IV soccer tournament. Brussels beat Alconbury 5-1 for its second-straight D-IV crown. McVicker, who scored three times in the game, was named the tournament MVP. (Ben Bloker / S&S)
European edition, Saturday, May 19, 2007
RAMSTEIN, Germany — Lizz McVicker scored three times and Marlena Schlattmann twice as Brussels defeated Alconbury 5-1 Friday in the DODDS-Europe Division IV girls soccer title match.
The European crown is the second straight for the Lady Brigands, who won it by beating conference rival Alconbury for the fourth time this season.
“It feels good,” McVicker, a junior midfielder, said. “We worked a lot, and it showed.”
Brussels, a squad of only 12 players, finished the year with one loss — to Division I International School of Brussels in its first game of the season.
“The ladies have done a great job,” Brussels coach E.G. Clayburn said. “They worked very hard this season. It’s an excellent group of young ladies.”
He gave credit to not only the goal scorers, but also freshman goalkeeper Jessica Czmowski and the rest of the defense, which he said played a big role in Brussels’ successful title defense.
Alconbury took a 1-0 lead in the sixth minute when Elizabeth Eastman scored on a put-back after Czmowski bobbled a shot from the right wing.
Less than a minute later, Schlattmann evened the score. Alconbury senior Andrea Starr nearly got a go-ahead goal in the 12th minute when she booted a hard left-footed shot that sailed high.
Then McVicker got going. She scored her first goal in the 21st minute on a kick from the right wing to break the tie, and made it 3-1 at halftime with a goal off an assist from Brianna Fitch.
Following the break, Brussels upped the score to 4-1 in the 59th minute when Schlattmann made good on goal after a corner-kick assist from Fitch.
“It was really a team effort,” Schlattmann said. “The assists were incredible.”
McVicker got her third tally in the 67th minute when she emerged from a mix of players in front of the goal. She nearly scored a fourth when she eluded the Alconbury keeper in the 78th minute, but her shot was blocked by a Lady Dragons defender.
