Four different Copperheads scored to help the Catawba Ridge girls soccer team to a 5-0 shutout win over Region 3-4A rival Indian Land Tuesday at The Pit.
Kyleen Bents, Maren White, Emma Sexton and Adrienne Cooper all scored to help Catawba Ridge remain unbeaten so far this season at 6-0 and 4-0 in the region.
Catawba Ridge has dominated every opponent it has faced so far this year. The Copperheads have scored a total of 66 goals over their first six games of the season, and have given up just one goal.
Head coach Brandon Schmidt said his team is remarkably well-balanced when it comes to offense and defense. He said his defenders are often looking to step up and lead attacks.
“It’s a coach’s dream,” Schmidt said. “I want my defense to keep pushing up and making runs. When they get involved, you can see the midfielders and the strikers stepping up even more. It’s such a big help for everyone.”
Bents got the scoring started in the 10th minute when she booted the ball past Indian Land goalkeeper Carrigan McCloud from about eight-yards out. White doubled the Copperheads’ advantage from the penalty spot about six minutes later after the referee called for a foul in the Warriors’ box.
Catawba Ridge pressed for a third goal, and finally found it just two minutes before halftime when a cross from the right wing pinged around the box. Cooper connected with it, but an Indian Land defender ended up playing the ball into her own goal as she attempted to clear the chance.
Schmidt said the visiting Warriors gave them a tough matchup, and praised his team’s ability to match their effort.
“Those were some very physical players, very strong,” he said. “The tough mentality of being able to fight hard, still play physical, still play Copperhead ball, that was great.”
Indian Land’s sophomore midfielder Jessie Howison forced Catawba Ridge keeper Shyann Holt into her first save of the day just after the halftime break when she unleashed a shot from 20-yards out, but Holt handled the situation well.
Sexton made it 4-0 just eight minutes into the second half when she dribbled through the middle of the pitch for about 25-yards untouched, then slotted a drive under McCloud’s diving left arm.
And Cooper made it 5-0 in the 58th minute with a skillful effort. She finished off a cross from midfielder Alexa Dubrow with a one-time, side-footed effort that was too much for McCloud to keep out.
Schmidt said he’s sure that his team will meet physical teams just like Indian Land throughout the rest of the regular season, and potentially, in the postseason.
“They’ll be just as tough, just as fast, just as big,” he said. “But we’re only halfway through the region schedule now. We’ve still got to face (Indian Land) another time at their place.”
Catawba Ridge faces South Pointe on the road March 30. The Copperheads last played the Stallions on March 12, where they won 11-1 on home turf.
