By Cort Reynolds
BLUFFTON - The host Bluffton girls soccer team blanked tough Mansfield Christian 4-0 in Div. III sectional final action Thursday night at Steinmetz Field.
With their 13th straight win, the Pirate girls improved to 14-2-1. The Lady Flames ended their season 13-4-1 after the defeat.
Laykin Garmatter scored two goals to lead the Lady Pirates to victory.
She started the scoring with a goal in the 14th minute, and the game stayed 1-0 into halftime.
Garmatter later found the back of the net in the 43rd minute to double the lead to 2-0. Brenna Kindle advanced the margin to 3-0 with a score in the 65th minute.
Clara Matthews put the game completely out of reach with the final goal in the 72nd minute.
Reagan Mittendorf, Olivia Matthews and Rebekah Hoff each passed out one assist.
Bluffton put 13 of its 18 shots on goal. MC got off just five shots against the Pirate defense, with three on target.
Bluffton keeper Julia Mehaffie made two saves and Maddie Murray added one stop.
Mansfield Christian goalie Mary Golias was credited with nine stops.
Second-seeded Bluffton has not lost since August 29 at Bath, 3-0. The Pirates tied Van Buren 1-1 Sept. 3 for a 1-2-1 start, and has won every match since then.
Third-seeded Ashland Crestview meets Bluffton Tuesday, Oct. 27 in district semifinal play. The Pirates will host the district match starting at 7:45 p.m.
Crestview nipped Cory-Rawson 3-2 in their sectional final.
The district finals are at Bluffton Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. Liberty-Benton is the number one seed in the district, and will take on fifth seed Riverdale Oct. 27 at Bluffton in the other semifinal.
