Wakefield girls soccer shuts out Sanderson
After scoring a season-high seven goals in a win on Wednesday night, the Wakefield girls soccer team got off to another hot start on Thursday.
The Wolverines had four shots in the first six minutes, then scored in the ninth, on a Tori Hansen header off a corner kick by Kaitlyn Bouck, and never looked back. Wakefield won 4-0 at Sanderson’s Gregson Stadium.
The Wolverines (5-0, 1-0 Cap-8) stayed hot as they has all season. Wakefield has scored 18 goals on the season, compared to just three goals against.
And from coach C.J. Komons, possession has kept his team ahead of the curve thus far.
“Obviously I love to win and like to score goals, but I was more pleased with the way we played,” Komons said. “I think we possessed the ball very well; we kept the ball away from them the majority of the game, and I think that’s what was the difference tonight. Yes, we scored four goals, but I was more pleased with the way they played.”
The Spartans (4-3, 0-2) have lost three straight games following their 4-0 start to the season. After outscoring their opponents 14-1 in its four wins, they have been outscored 2-11 in their losses to Green Hope, Heritage and now Wakefield.
Sanderson coach Todd Worley isn’t too concerned with his team’s recent play, saying so much as it’s more of who they’re playing than anything else.
“The key is three really good teams we just played,” Worley said. “It’s more of the talent level of who we just played. Against Heritage and Green Hope we had good opportunities, and tonight it was just a really good team. We’re still trying to work the same stuff, but better teams have taken those things away from us.”
Sanderson was on their heels for the better part of 30 minutes in the first half, trying desperately to stop the Wakefield attack. The Wolverines’ pressure and ball control dictated the tempo and the game, and the Spartans couldn’t find any answers.
In the 28th minute, Sanderson had its best chance.
Virginia Blake received an outlet pass on the near-side of the field, with plenty of room in sight as she raced toward the net. But two Wakefield defenders closed in on her fast, forcing a quick shot that just missed the far-side of the goal. Five minutes later, Lauren Prakke’s free kick sailed wide left.
“Our girls fought and tried hard; (I had) no problems with our team. (Wakefield) was just very good tonight,” Worley said.
Wakefield added three late goals in the second half for insurance. In the 66th minute, Christina McCartney, in a scrum at the goal, scored from about five feet out. Jeana Freeman would add a goal in the 78th minute, and Hansen netted her second at the 80th minute.
The Wolverines had 28 shots, 15 of which made to the net, compared to seven shots by Sanderson.
Wakefield keeper Rachael Hennenkamp made three saves.
This story was originally published March 16, 2017 at 10:54 PM with the headline "Wakefield girls soccer shuts out Sanderson."