Hough, Lane Hathaway, run past North Meck in Queen City 3A/4A soccer showdown
In the battle of the top two teams in the Queen City 3A/4A conference, it was the Hough Huskies who came out on top winning 10-1 in a dominating performance.
“The biggest thing was we were wanting to come out with energy tonight,” head coach David Smith said following the game. “(We) wanted to try to score early and keep the ball moving, and some of the thought process today was to try and get some of the girls rest and try to get playing time for everybody because we are going to Ardrey Kell (Friday) night.”
The Huskies were out to prove just why they were the number one team in the conference from the initial kick as the Huskies struck quickly just seven minutes into the game. Julia Daley found Ella Matthews for the first score of the game.
No more than two minutes had run off the clock since the first Husky score when Daley found defender Sage Branch in the clear for the second Husky score of the half.
The next goal for the Huskies didn’t come until 14 minutes to go in the opening half, however, this goal seemed to open the floodgates as the Huskies would pour in four more goals to end the half with a 7-0 lead.
“The message (at halftime) was to just keep doing what you’re doing, be smart, keep the ball moving, and if we could get to the nine-goal difference to end the game early then great,” Smith said. “If not, I wanted those girls to get a lot of minutes out there and just keep playing the way we were.”
Early in the second half, the Vikings were determined to not be shut out as they played a corner kick very well, and despite Hough keeper Siena Zabek getting a hand on the pass, Keri Geter knocked in the score for the Vikings.
Hough got back to their scoring ways with just over 17 minutes to go in the game with a goal coming from Elinor Heney, her second goal of the season.
The Huskies were led by senior forward Lane Hathaway in goals in this game with two. She also had two assists in the game, both coming in the second half.
“I feel like we came out very strong and kept the energy very high,” Hathaway said. “(We) connected on a lot of passes down the line to score.”
Hathaway feels that her team did a great job in this game but understands the task ahead of them as they travel to Ardrey Kell, who also happens to be unbeaten.
“It is definitely going to be a defining game,” Hathaway said. “We are going to come out our hardest and just keep the energy as high as we did tonight.”
WORTH MENTIONING
▪ Both of Hathaway’s goals came in the first half. She got to rest a significant amount of the second half.
▪ The Huskies only allowed the Vikings to get three shots off, two of which were saved by Zabek.
▪ With seven seconds left and Hough scores their 10th goal effectively ensign the game with just seven seconds remaining with the nine-goal lead.
THREE WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE
Lane Hathaway, Hough: The senior forward did a little bit of everything for her team in this game. She led the onslaught of goals in the first half with both of her goals coming in the first half. She pitched in with two assists in the second half adding to what was already an impressive night.
Elinor Heney, Hough: The only other Husky with more than one goal in the game, Heney also scored two goals alongside Hathaway. Both of Heney’s goals came in the second half, one with just eight minutes to go in the game.
Julia Daley, Hough: She was the leader in assists for the Huskies tonight with three total, two in the first half and one in the second.
WHAT’S NEXT
Hough, now 9-0-1, travels to take on unbeaten Ardrey Kell tomorrow, April 1 at 7 p.m. North Meck falls to 8-4 with Olympic coming to play on April 5 at 7 p.m.
Scoring Summary
Hough: 7 3 — 10
North Meck: 0 1 — 1