Homecoming of Sorts Turns Into a 2-0 Win For Westminster at Ladue

For Westminster soccer, the game against Ladue Friday was like a homecoming. Only the homecoming was on the road. Westminster returned to play Ladue at the new West Campus facility. Up until a year ago, that was the home to Westminster Christian Academy.

The Wildcats used the return occasion to put a 2-0 shutout on the high-flying Rams. A scoreless first half, played in cold, blustery bone-chilling 40 degrees turned into a second-half scoring bonanza for Westminster.

Courtney McGhee scored the go-ahead and game winning goal with an assist from Caroline Moore.

Also in the second half, a header by Charisse Williams, off a corner kick from Moore was a thing of beauty. She stepped in on goal keeper Fran Shannon to score and pretty much put the game out of reach. The second goal came at the 75:50 minute mark of the match.

Westminster coach Warren Smith recounts both goals.

“It’s kind of fun to come back here. It’s been at least a year. Some of our seniors played on this field before when they were freshmen,” said the coach.

“We just want to create a little bit of cast in front of their goal. Charisse is an athlete--get her in front of a goal and good things are going to happen 9 times out of 10 times. That’s just what we try and do.”

Get past Ladue’s Shannon is no easy chore. She is a stingy keeper and one shutout away from a school record.

About the second and final goal: “We just made some passes and tried to work the ball up the field. Moore flicked the ball and McGhee hit a good hard shot. That was the key. She put a good hard shot, low. The grass is a little bit wet and the field is a little bit muddy and we won the 50/50 ball there.

The fact that we got two past Fran today was great. We’ll take that any day,” said Smith.

Westminster got some good hard play from the regulars up front. MeGhee and Moore were solid while Shelby Kehr, a defender turned in an outstanding performance.

Summer Smith, midfielder kept the pressure up as did reserve Alaina Randazzo.

Ladue absorbed just its second loss in a 9-2 season. “It was pretty much an even battle between the two of us. We hit the post--their goalie (Emily Sulewski) was outstanding and that sophomore (Charisse Williams) out-battled us, and we’ll be facing her a couple more years,” said Ladue’s coach Dave Aronberg.

The win improved Westminster’s record to 6-1. They beat Villa  Duchesne 4-1 the night before.