With great loss comes great hope: JV soccer girls face defeat by the Mustangs
The NC JV girls (1-0) fought aggressively for the ball and stayed strong throughout the game. They persevered, despite the score on the board discouraging them. The girls made sure to stay on the players and communicated with one another, unfortunately, the Lady Warriors lost the game 3-0. NC left with high hopes and determination for the next game against Osborne High School (1-0-1).
March 8, 2023
The JV girls’ soccer team (1-0) faced off against the Kennesaw Mountain Mustangs (0-0) in their region Thursday, March 2. Despite heavy rain, the girls played. The game began at 6 p.m. with the Mustangs kicking off in the first half.
Ten minutes into the game, Kennesaw Mountain attempted to score, but NC’s strong sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Holmes (1) blocked the ball. In the midst of the Warriors working hard to move the ball to the other side, Mustang Kalee Daniels (15) swiftly kicked the ball into the goal, making the first goal (1-0). The sudden goal surprised the crowd, but the Lady Warriors continued strong and Holmes blocked any shots taken on goal for the remainder of the half.
The Lady Warriors began the second half with a rush of energy to score as a form of recovery from the first half. The Warriors consistently showed aggression toward the Mustangs, constantly attempting to break through their tight defense. NC’s assistant coach, Jesse Bowles, consistently changed their strategies, coaching the Lady Warriors to apply pressure against the Mustangs. Later in the second half, Kennesaw Mountain midfielder Mya Padron (21) scored the second goal of the game from a corner shot. With the game 2-0, the Lady Warriors did not lose hope and kept pushing through.
“I have mixed feelings, I feel like I could have done way better, I think I have done well but I did do my best in this game. I could have improved on breaking down and moving to the ball. Yes, the resin affected my performance; I hate being in the rain. I feel like my team hasn’t gained strong teamwork,” freshman midfielder Sofia Gomez (12) said.
During the second half, Bowles told the team to show aggression to the Mustangs and yelled plays the girls needed to run. The Warriors continuously listened to one another’s calls in the game and communicated. However, Kennesaw Mountain striker Jenna Phelps (12) kicked straight into the goal and scored a third point for the Mustangs (3-0).
With ten minutes on the clock, the Warriors continued to persevere under great pressure and play their best despite the score. The Warriors failed to balance the score and ultimately lost 3-0. The JV Lady Warriors will play next at Osborne High School (1-0-1) March 9 at 6 p.m.
“I think this season, our goal is just to get stronger as a team, build those connections and get better. We have gotten better at building connections with one another and have become more aggressive,” sophomore captain Mackenzie Johnson (8) said.
