Burkholder nets hat trick

By Cort Reynolds

CELINA __The visiting Bluffton girls soccer team lost at non-conference foe Celina 7-3 Saturday afternoon despite a hat trick from one of its top players.

Aubrey Burkholder netted all three Pirate goals. 

Bluffton fell behind 3-0 in the first 20 minutes but managed to cut the lead to 3-2 on Burkholder’s first two goals.

After the Bulldogs tallied in the eighth and 18th minutes, Celina’s Paiton Rhodes scored in the 20th minute to make it 3-0.

Burkholder scored unassisted in the 24th minute to get the Pirates on the board.

She then netted a second goal off a McDougle assist eight minutes later to cut the deficit to one.

Bulldog Rachel Rammel responded with a goal in the 37th minute to give the hosts a 4-2 lead at halftime.

Rammel then scored again six minutes into the second half to rebuild the margin to three. 

Burkholder sliced the margin to 5-3 on a goal in the 71st minute from a Jaicelyn Morris assist.

But Bulldog Allana Carroll netted her second goal five minutes later for a 6-3 lead.

Kenlee Holstad added a final goal in the 79th minute to provide the final margin.

The Pirates dropped to 3-1 overall after suffering their first defeat. Celina improved to 5-1 overall with the win.

Bluffton put four of its mere six shots on goal. Celina directed 12 of its 22 shots on goal. 

Kynzie Ewing stopped three shots in goal for Bluffton, while Elizabeth Hartzler made two saves.

Celina keeper Alaina Vehorn made one save.

Bluffton (1-0 NWC) visits league rival Crestview (1-2, 0-0 NWC) in a Northwest Conference bout on Tuesday, September 3. They then visit non-league foe Bath (2-2) Thursday, Sept. 5.