OSCODA - May 18, 2009 - The Oscoda Lady Owls soccer team raised their record to .500 again on Monday night when the Mercy Ruled Arthur Hill with 6 minutes remaining in the game, 8-0. 

Oscoda was in control the entire match bringing their record to 8-8 for the season.  Oscoda has one match remaining in the regular season, Wednesday at home, before starting Michigan District Playoffs on Tuesday, May 26th when they will host Grayling in a win or out match. 

The winner will face Kalkaska on May 28th in Oscoda at 7:00pm.

"We continued our great team play," said Oscoda coach Gary Schneider. " We are peaking just in time for the districts which we've performed well in over the years."

The going got rough from the start for Arthur Hill when one of their defenders tried to clear a Oscoda pass and knocked the ball into her own net in the second minute.  Two minutes later Dani Griffin scored her first of four goal.  She scored twice more in the first half to gain a natural hat-trick (three goals in a row and in the same half).  Oscoda took a 4-0 lead into the half. 

Halftime celebrated the four seniors on the squad for their contributions to the Lady Owls soccer program.  Sarah Inman, Krystin Inman, Kelbi Clarke and Katia Kotula were honored.  This is Sarah Inman's first year in soccer but the other three are four year letter winners.

Griffin scored her fourth of the match less then one minute into the second half.  Chelsea Carraway took over the scoring and earned a natural hat-trick of her own and ending the match in the 84th minute.  Her last goal was a Corner Kick that sailed into the corner of the net.  Rushelle Sidebottom earned three assists in the match.  Also credited with one assist each were Nicole Jackson and Griffin.

Katia Kotula made 6 steals and 11 intercepts.  Sarah Inman had nine intercepts, Katy Peacock 7 and Melissa Yang 5.  Kelli Lehman earned the shutout in goal, stopping the three shots she faced.

Arthur Hill played with more passion and aggression than when the Owls beat them on the road, 9-0, in 40 minutes. 

"We all played hard tonight, said Oscoda's Rachel Elkins. "It was a fair game."