Rocky River junior Ashley Rucker had scored in nine straight games before Monday’s 9-0 win over Lutheran West. Her goal scoring ability has helped the Lady Pirates to a 8-1-1 record. (Photo by Larry Bennet)

Goal streak has River flowing
Rucker has put finishing touch to work for River
By Zachary Dzurick
Sports
Published Sept 21, 2005

Click here for an archive of West Life Sports Editor Zachary Dzurick's "Red Right 88" weekly columns.

Ashley Rucker was held without a goal on Monday for the first time in ten games.

So why is she smilling? Because her team defeated Lutheran West 9-0.

With the win, Rocky River improved to 8-1-1. The Lady Pirates have now outscored their opponents 42 to 8.

In their first game of the season, River outshot Berea 30 to 7, but had to settle for a 0-0 tie. They just could not finish. That has obviously changed and a big reason is the improved play of Ashley Rucker.

The junior forward had scored in nine straight games including a hat trick last week against St. Joseph where she scored on a header and two breakaway goals. She has 14 goals on the season.

Rucker saw limited action as a freshman on a very veteran club. Last season, she was second on the team with eight goals. Head coach Brian Salco was hopeful Rucker would elevate her game this season.

“I think we saw glimmer of hope last season,” Salco said. “She was hurt and out for four games last year so she didn’t have the consistency she has now. Now she is a finisher. She sees opportunities and takes advantage of them. Last year she was a right time in the right place kind of player and she got it done. This year, she is just making it happen. Her involvement in the off season and her dedication to the sport has just really allowed her to blossom. She is playing her opponents differently and her teammates are playing her differently. They are giving her better balls to play as it is a total team effort.”

Ashley Rucker

Rucker seems a little stunned by her success. She believes that she is just the recipient of a very talented team around her.

“My team helps me so much,” Rucker said. “Basically I stand around and get a run because of my team’s beautiful balls. They are amazing. It is so much more them than me. The balls are just in stride. I would be nothing without my team.”

Salco said his midfield in particular have helped Rucker.

“I credit our middle a lot,” Salco said. “Brie Patterson and Meredith Gourash has been doing a fantastic job getting balls through and letting Ashley use her speed to finish. Her fellow forwards Caitlin Burke and Claire Berry has helped to bring the defense and play through to Ashley.”

Rucker said she still get nervous in one on one against goalies. So she has spent a lot of time working on the skill.

“I hate one on ones with goalies,” she said. “I did a lot of premier work this summer. I tried to work on my touches and my foot skills. Normally my style was kick and run. I wanted to focus more on foot skills. Premier helped a lot.”

Still early in the season, Rucker was misfiring on some opportunities. She said Coach Salco and his assistant Michelle Ponziano spent extra time to help her.

“Coach is so amazing,” Rucker said. “One game I missed so many one-on-ones, and he had somewhere to go, but he stayed after. Coach and Michelle worked with me and helped me so much.”

The result has been a flurry of a goals. While Rucker credits her team for her success, the direct result of her ability to finish has been a rise in the confidence and play of her teammates.

“Absolutely, she makes the rest of our team better,“ Salco said. “She has come through huge this season. The girls see her in that role now. She is clutch. She has done it almost every game. It is big because it helps our confidence. We used to be a second half team and it is tough to get down and try to come back. But you get up one goal in the first five or ten minutes like we have been doing and it makes a huge difference. You can see the whole team momentum jump start and carry us through.”

Team captain Debra Leitch said the team has complete confidence in Rucker’s ability to finish.

“When she gets close with a one-on-one with a goalie she finishes,” Leitch said. “She holds the ball until the end. We are happy with all of our forwards but even more so that Ashley is scoring. We couldn't be where we are without her.”

Rucker, also runs track and is a member of key club. She said she loves being around little kids.

“I am surrounded by little kids in my neighborhood,” Rucker said. “I was a pre-school counselor over the summer. I love kids especially teaching them how to play soccer.

Only a junior, Rucker has plenty of options for a future career.

“I want to do something with kids, but I have gone from wanting to be a interior designer to marine biologist. I also love art and crafts. I even force my little sister to do them with me so I don’t look like a weirdo doing them by myself,” she said.