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Sharks strike first
Ponte Vedra defense shuts down Bartram in girls soccer matchup, 1-0
 It
was one of the most anticipated regular season games this season in North
Florida, matching the Sharks' defense against the Bears and goal-scoring
juggernaut Sam Scalf.
The result, and the top spot in District 4-4A, was all Ponte Vedra's.
"The one thing about our team is we can be beaten , but you've got to earn
it," said Ponte Vedra coach Dave Silverberg, whose team is 3-0 overall and
1-0 in district play.
The lone score of the game followed a missed Bartram corner kick, and the
Sharks went coast to coast with the deflection.
Femke Lang bumped a ball to Nicol around the 7-yard line, who headed it to
the right of goalkeeper Lauren Hamilton.
That's the only goal Ponte Vedra needed to stretch its unbeaten streak to 17
games. Ponte Vedra hasn't lost since Dec. 20, 2008.
The Sharks had five corner kicks in the first 35 minutes -- and six in the
game -- and didn't score on any of them. Instead, Ponte Vedra relied on an
attacking defense and an occasional save by Emily Vergo to put the brakes on
one of the best offenses in the state.
"We knew it was going to be a battle ... so far this season we haven't had
that pressure," said Bartram coach Jenn West, whose team had outscored its
two opponents 15-0 this season.
"It was positive for us to go against that pressure."
Scalf had 59 goals last season, including the lone score in a 1-0 Bartram
win over Ponte Vedra.
But for a player who was tied for second in the nation in goals last season,
according to ESPNrise.com, she got nothing in terms of good looks.
Her lone shot in the first half came on a stop and pivot with 22 minutes to
play and Vergo smothered it.
Ponte Vedra was so airtight that Vergo didn't have to do much. Her toughest
shot of the night was steering a shot by Chelsea Mayo above the cross bar
midway through the second half.
Silverberg said that the Sharks wanted to be the more aggressive team, and
it showed.
Defenders Erica Burt, Ali Fehling and Kelly McKinley limited just about
anything on the Ponte Vedra side of the field and frustrated the Bears with
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