Eight Lady Dolphins score in 8-0 win
Curington dishes out three assists; GBHSWashington IV in Tuesday's Region 1-4A semifinals
BY JASON THOMPSON Gulf Breeze News jason@gulfbreezenews.com

The Gulf Breeze Lady Dolphin soccer team got goals from eight different players as they shut out Arnold 8-0 in a 69- minute Region 1-4A Quarterfinal Thursday at Dolphin Stadium.

With the win, the Lady Dolphins (16-6-1) played Washington Tuesday (after the News' deadline) in a Region 1- 4A semifinal match. It'll be the fourth time the two teams have met this season, with Gulf Breeze winning two of the previous three, including a 1-0 win in the District 1-4A title game.

The Lady Dolphins had five shots in the game's first five minutes before Arnold (10-11- 2) entered the Lady Dolphins' third of the field. Brynne Heatley easily sent the ball out before an Arnold player could get a shot on goal.

GBHS, who's now beaten Arnold the past three years in the regional quarters by a combined score of 20-0, fired nine more shots before the Lady Marlins had a second chance downfield. This time, Amanda Green cleared the cross in the 21st minute.

The Lady Dolphins, who were shooting into the wind in the first half, finally got on the scoreboard in the 25th minute. Aubrey Curington sent a ball in from the left side. Kristen Barona and Jessica Majewski were in the box, with Majewski getting a foot on it, putting it past the Arnold keeper to make it 1-0.

Submitted Photos Balanced attack Bianca Takacs (left) and Cayla Platt both scored once in the Lady Dolphins' 8-0 win over Arnold in a Region 1-4A Quarterfinal match Thursday at Dolphin Stadium.

The assist was the first of three from Curington, who also scored later in the match.

Two minutes later, Noelle Robles scored her first goal in more than six weeks, taking a shot from a sharp angle and putting it in the 'upper 90' to make it 2-0.

Gulf Breeze rifled four more shots at the goal before Bianca Takacs launched a shot from about 25 yards to make it 3-0 in the 37th minute. The shot richocheted off an Arnold defender before finding the back of the net.

Another cross from Curington was settled by Robles and passed to Maggie Rodgers, who put it in for a 4-0 lead a minute later.

Curington found the back of the net 35 seconds into the second half, settling a Rodgers cross before rifling it in to make it 5-0.

Cayla Platt entered the game in the 45th minute. She had a shot on goal three minutes later before one-timing a pass from Majewski into the net for a 6-0 lead.

Photo courtesy of Fed Barona That's using your head Aubrey Curington (left) goes up for a header in a recent Lady Dolphin soccer match. Curington had a goal and three assists in GBHS' 8-0 win over Arnold Thursday.

Barona banged a shot off the crossbar in the 52nd minute before scoring a goal seven minutes later off a pass from Brittany Pyle. Barona was off to the right side of the penalty area and knocked in a shot from a similiar angle as Robles' earlier in the match.

Pyle then exited the game in the 60th minute, the first rest she's had in three postseason games. Natalie Blair entered the game in the 65th minute and rounded out the scoring four minutes later when she headed in a corner kick from Rodgers.

Gulf Breeze's 8-0 win was one of only four such wins in all of Class 4A Thursday.

The others were by Fort Myers' Cypress Lake (who Gulf Breeze beat in last year's state semifinals), St. Augustine Nease (who the Lady Dolphins played to a scoreless tie earlier this season) and Fort Lauderdale's Cardinal Gibbons. Bishop Moore, who beat Gulf Breeze in last year's title game, won 4-0 over Spring Hill Springstead.

The winner of Tuesday's game will play the winner of a Jacksonville matchup between Stanton Prep and Bishop Kenny in the regional finals on Friday. Bishop Kenny lost to Gulf Breeze 1-0 in last year's regional final.

Collins commits to

South Alabama Ashley Collins became the team's second senior and the fifth player overall, to commit to play soccer at a four-year college when she verbally commited to the University of South Alabama.

Collins, who chose the Lady Jaguars over North Florida and Texas, has posted six consecutive shutouts since the Lady Dolphins lost two of three at the Michelle Akers Tournament during the Christmas break.

Collins is the second Lady Dolphin in as many years to commit to the Mobile school. Kristi Lee, a 2007 GBHS grad, started every game for the Lady Jags this season as a defender.

GBHS senior teammate Noelle Robles commited to UWF, while juniors Alyssa Smith and Jesse Vickrey recently commited to Ole Miss and Florida Atlantic, respectively. Sophomore Maggie Rodgers recently commited to Florida.