PN-G wants offense to keep on working in soccer playoffs

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PN-G wants offense to keep on working in soccer playoffs

Getting a productive offense to complement its normally stingy defense has been a work in progress for Aimee Bates, but progress was what Aimee saw on Friday night.

  The Port Neches-Groves sixth-year head girls soccer coach viewed perhaps the best all-around offensive game to date by her Lady Indians in last Friday's 4-1 bidistrict elimination of Willis at Humble's Charles Street Stadium.

  Tonight's 4A playoff competition caliber improves with undefeated District 17-4A champion Whitehouse in Sam Houston State's Parker Stadium on the Huntsville campus at 5:30 p.m.

  PN-G (18-3) would find most any other route in Region 3 to be just as demanding. The Lady Indians would meet the winner of the Brenham/Longview Pine Tree game if they should advance to this weekend's regional quarterfinals.

  Yet if Bates can summon another explosive attacking game, her team's chances may become as solid as anyone's.

  Nederland (21-1) has to be concerned about the ability of its next opponent when it comes to scoring goals. Lindale tied for second place in District 17-4A yet the Lady Eagles pounded out 15 goals in their last two games.

  The District 20-4A champion Lady Bulldogs will test Lindale tonight on the Nacogdoches High School campus at 6 p.m. The Nederland/Lindale winner would advance into this weekend's regional quarterfinal against the area-round survivor of the Montgomery/Henderson clash.

  Lindale eliminated Palestine 8-0 in Friday's bidistrict round after closing its regular season with a 7-0 victory over Hallsville.

  That's the type of goal-production which the PN-G coach can have wild visions of her team accomplishing in late-season games. But the Lady Indians have exceeded five goals in only five contests -- twice against Ozen, twice against Central and once against Silsbee.

  PN-G led 25-4 in shots on goal against Willis. That fact suggested that Aimee's team failed to cash in on quite a few more scoring opportunities.

  Yet when Bates evaluated her team's performance, players such as sweeper Chelsea Smith and fullback Lauren May jumped to the forefront.

  Having defeated one team of Lady Wildcats in the 4A girls' first round, PN-G prepared for another in the second round.

  "Whitehouse is a strong team," Bates said. "We will have to be ready. They finished first in a tough district."

  Seniors Michelle Morgan and Emily Pacetti collected two goals apiece in PN-G's bidistrict victory.

  Nederland should be close to full strength for tonight's trip to Nacogdoches. Senior sweeper Evan Austin sat out Friday's warmup game against Crosby due to an ankle sprain.