LEHMAN TWP. – Dallas returns just four starters as it aims for its latest Wyoming Valley Conference girls soccer championship this season, but fortunately the Mountaineers have those players in the right places.
Strength up the middle helped Dallas win its first five games before having a 26-game WVC winning streak snapped Tuesday in a 2-1 overtime loss to Crestwood.
Only Coughlin and Holy Redeemer have better records than Dallas in the 16-game league and the Mountaineers still get a shot at those teams – Oct. 9 at home against Holy Redeemer and Oct. 12 at Coughlin.
The return of three senior center midfielders who were all first-team WVC West coaches’ all-stars last season has helped keep the Mountaineers near the top of the conference with a 5-1 start.
The other returnee is Samantha Mazula, who received honorable mention from the coaches for her play last season as a freshman outside midfielder. She has moved to sweeper this year, adding to that strength in the middle.
Ruby Mattson, Tiffany Zukosky and Katie Snedeker take care of the middle of the field in coach Abe Lewis’ 4-5-1 alignment with Mattson occasionally moving to the one striker position when the offense needs a boost.
Mattson had the only goal for an early lead against Crestwood.
A day early, it was Mattson, who broke the deadlock in a 5-0 win over rival Lake-Lehman almost 19 minutes into what had been an evenly played game to that point.
“I think we’re really lucky that Katie, Tiffany and I have played together since sophomore year, so we have a really good system going in the center mid,” Mattson said.
It was Zukosky, who played the ball ahead with a diagonal pass from the left side to set Mattson up in front against Lake-Lehman.
“Tiffany played me through,” Mattson said. “It was a perfect ball. I was able to get around the defender and place it in the net.”
Zukosky and Mattson got the offense started, but then they got plenty of help from their less-experienced teammates.
Rachel Maniskas came off the bench to score a goal in each half. Emma Lehman and Gabriela Ramirez also scored while Megan Miller had two assists and Olivia Kimmerle and Mazula provided one each.
“We have seven completely new starters with really very little experience,” Lewis said. “ … We needed to have a learning curve while they gained more experience on the varsity level.
“They’ve really achieved and grown into their positions.”
Lewis said he is proud of the development of the defense with sophomores Holly Holthaus and Hannah Boyd on the outside and another sophomore, Rachel Nelligan in goal.
That combination helped Dallas win its first five league games and take a 3-1 non-league victory over current Lackawanna League Division 1 leader Abington Heights.
