Senior-Laden Falcons Move In Harmony in Defeat of Panthers
By B.J. Koubaroulis
Special to The Washington Post
Friday, September 14, 2007; E09

Hovering above a dimly lit field at Paul VI Catholic last night, a group of six bats used an instinctual and inaudible communication to perform a series of swooping dives that drew the eye of several spectators. On the field, the communication that the fifth-ranked Good Counsel girls' soccer team used to take a 3-0 victory was almost as precise and mesmerizing.

A flurry of hand gestures, strange noises and, at times, mere eye contact propelled the Falcons' 3-5-2 setup to their third consecutive victory and second consecutive shutout this season. Paul VI, playing its sixth game in seven days, dropped to 2-4-1 overall and 2-2-1 in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference.

"We have really good chemistry together," said Good Counsel midfielder Katie Pecoraro, one of 11 Falcons seniors. "We've been together for four years and that helps as far as knowing where each other is going to be."

Pecoraro recorded her sixth goal and fourth assist of the season in an offense that outshot the Panthers 22-2 and "dominated the midfield," Falcons Coach Jim Bruno said.

Alex Stadnik headed Pecoraro's left-footed corner kick offering into the front left corner of the goal to give Good Counsel (5-2, 4-1) a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute. Junior defender Meghan McTavish's free kick from 30 yards deflected off of two teammates' heads before senior midfielder Lauren Kelly settled it inside the penalty box and buried a right-footed boot for a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute.

Florida-bound senior midfielder Sarah Chapman took three of her team-high five shots on goal in the first half and was one of nine Falcons that recorded at least one shot on goal in the contest.

"Our outside midfielders are taking shots, even our defenders," Chapman said. "It makes the other team not know who is going to score. Everyone can score."

Pecoraro struck again in the 66th minute with a left-footed blast from 25 yards that found the back right corner of the goal for a 3-0 lead.

"There was a space and I'm left-footed, so I just went to left and shot it," Pecoraro said.
No. 5 Good Counsel 3 Paul VI Catholic 0 An Even Split: Panthers goalkeepers Melissa Westphal (nine saves) and Erin McDonald (four saves) have combined for 63 saves this season. Plenty of Margin: Good Counsel is averaging 3.7 goals per game and allowing 1.1 goals per game.