OTTAWA HILLS — The Kalida’s girls soccer team came out a little flat as they squared off against Swanton in a Division III regional semifinal contest at Ottawa Hills High School Tuesday night. The early jitters didn’t last long. Once the LadyCats fired off a couple of shots, they dominated the Bulldogs in posting a 4-0 win at Norm Niedermeier Field. The win sends Kalida (19-0-1) to the Division III regional finals Saturday afternoon against either Doylestown Chippewa or Ontario at a site to be determined. The Chippewa-Ontario contest was postponed Tuesday and will be played Thursday. Swanton (11-8-1) came out the aggressor as they were able to keep the ball on the Kalida defensive side of the field. Once the LadyCats were able to get a couple of runs on the Bulldog goal, it helped them relax and play their game. “The first couple of minutes, we were a little flat,” Kalida coach David Kehres said. “Swanton had the possession of the ball and we were like ‘come on girls; let’s get it together.’ It took us about 10 minutes and once we got that first goal, everyone was fired up.” Kalida’s first two goals came after Swanton goalie Jenna Carr was unable to handle shots on goal by Kalida. Senior Summer Holtkamp scored the LadyCats’ first goal as she was there to pick up a rebound that Carr could not handle with 19:59 left in the half. Fellow senior Skylar Basinger chased down a long pass and went at the Bulldog goalie as she fired a shot that Carr knocked down and had roll to her right, where Holtkamp got a foot on the ball and pushed it into an open net. Just over seven minutes later, Kalida took advantage of another loose ball to go up 2-0. Sophomore Jackie Gardner got a run at the Swanton goal and fired a shot that Carr once again knocked down. Freshman Brittany Kahle was there to pick up the loose ball and put it in the net with 12:23 left in the half.
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