Lehman boosts Regina girls to state

IOWA CITY - Jenna Lehman was a main attacking forward her first two years at Iowa City Regina, but didn't go out for soccer her junior year, choosing instead to concentrate on AAU basketball.

She gave soccer another chance as a senior - and she's pretty happy with the result.

Lehman scored two goals to lead No. 3-ranked Regina to a 4-1 victory in a Class 1A regional final against No. 6 Clear Creek Amana at the Barker Soccer complex at West High. The victory sends the Regals (14-4) to the girls' state soccer tournament for the third year in a row.

'This year we're really going to go after it and play our hearts out,” Lehman said.

The Clippers' season ended with a sparkling 15-3 record, two of those losses coming to Regina.

'I didn't go out for soccer last year,” Lehman said. 'It was a tough decision. It's been a lot of fun being out with all these girls senior year. I really regret not going out last year because it's a lot of fun. I love it.”

Lehman said she felt a little rusty this year, but she went to open gyms to get her touch back before the season started.

She started the scoring in the 26th minute with a beautiful shot from the left side about 20 yards out after the Clippers failed to clear it. That tied the game at 1-1.

'I was right there and the girl mistouched it and I just put it in,” Lehman said.

Clear Creek Amana had scored in the fifth minute on a penalty kick after speedy forward Hannah Bormann was upended in the box. Bormann took the PK and put it in.

The score remained tied at halftime, but the Regals put three goals in during the final 40 minutes. Coach Jordan Grimm thought his team gave better effort in the second half and got key contributions off the bench.

'The defense was really solid,” he said. 'Any time you can come out with just one goal, a PK, you've got to give it up for the defense - Angela Klein, Nikki Becker, Kennedy Brown and Grace Larew, with Gracie being the captain.”

'I think we really picked it up. We decided we were going to work more as a team and connect passes and take control of the game,” forward Lauren Ronnfeldt said.

About 15 minutes into the second half Regina took the lead on a goal by Hannah Yowell on a cross from Ronnfeldt.

'I was dribbling down the side and I saw Hannah wide open in the middle,” Ronnfeldt said. 'The ball was away from me but I made sure I crossed it and got it to her. When it was 2-1 we had to make sure we kept it up. We didn't want to take any chances.”

Lizzy DePrenger scored the third goal 10 minutes later on a blast from about 25 yards out at the top of the box. Lehman finished the scoring nine minutes later, taking a pass from Katie Wick, dodging a defender and belting it into the net.