Whether she's using it to make a smart defensive play or to flick a goal into the opposition's net, Ashley Deckard really knows how to use head.
The Granite City sweeper, whose height (5-feet-11) and jumping ability also make her a natural to go to the front of the net for headers on Warriors' corner kicks, loves helping out on offense. However, she wouldn't mind an occasional Advil or Tylenol for the effort.
"I like going up for the ball and jumping high like in basketball," Deckard said, "even though they can give you a headache."
This spring, Deckard has been one huge headache for opponents. And in Monday night's first round game against Lindbergh in the CYC Tournament at the Anheuser-Busch Center, she was at her cerebral best.
In addition to her usual stellar play on defense, Deckard went high to flick a header past Flyers goalie Nina Tzianos at the 10-minute mark. Granite City's defense made it stand up for a 1-0 victory.
Paige Luehmann picked up the assist for the Warriors, who improved to 9-2-1 on the season. Lindbergh fell to 6-3.
Granite City was scheduled to face the Duchesne-Seckman winner on Tuesday night. The winner of that game then was to take on Rosati-Kain in the semifinals. That winner would advance to the finals on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Though Deckard plays forward for her club team and prefers that spot, Granite City coach Skip Birdsong says she is invaluable on defense. But he also realizes what an offensive weapon Deckard can be up top.
"She's a natural up there with her size and her height," Birdsong said. "She's really figured out how to go get the ball."
Thanks to several adept offensive players, the Warriors have been one of the area's strongest teams on corner kicks. Sophomore midfielder Mara Keomanivane consistently sends her corner kicks to the front of the net, as does junior Luehmann. Monday it was Luehmann's turn, and from the left corner she chipped her cross up high to Deckard, who was stationed at the far post.
"I ran in, went up for it and flicked the ball toward the goal," Deckard said of her fifth goal. "I was able to put it inside the right post."
It was a huge early goal in a game played in a steady rain. There weren't a whole lot of good scoring chances for either team until the final minutes of the first half, when Granite City senior Hope Jones broke in along on Tzianos, but chipped a shot just wide of the goal.
The Warriors held a territorial edge for the first half and most of the second. But in the final 20 minutes, Lindbergh pressed for the equalizer and had the better of the play. Down the stretch, play got pretty chippy at times, and Granite's Natalie Crane was given a yellow card for what the referee ruled was delay of the game.
But Deckard and the defense, along with Granite City goalie Kayla Morelan, were up to the challenge. Lindbergh earned a corner kick in the final seconds and brought all of its players, including Tzianos, up into the offensive zone. But time ran out before they could make the kick.
Lindbergh coach Mark Giesing said his club has played very well defensively this season, but the offense could use a boost.
Against the Warriors, that didn't happen.
"Inside the 18, we did not create a lot," said Giesing, whose top scorer this spring has been senior Lindsay Oettle with four goals. "We have struggled with finishing. We have not been able to find the shooter's touch.
"In the first half, Granite City took the play to us. We were lucky to only be down 1-0. At halftime we talked about stepping up the pace of our play and being more direct."
Giesing said Deckard made a very athletic play on the goal.
"Her vertical was up above everybody else," Giesing said. "Granite always is going to come out with a strong, physical team."
The Warriors had risen to No. 14 in this week's area rankings, which Birdsong thought was low, and rightly so. Granite City recently beat No. 13 Edwardsville 3-1 and two weeks ago knocked off No. 9 Parkway South 3-2. Should the Warriors continue to have success in the CYC Tournament, there is a good chance they should break into the top 10.
