A little communication goes a long way.
Robert Gardner only wishes it hadn”t taken a disappointing loss to Presbyterian Christian to affect that kind of change.
Two days after losing its season opener by five goals, the Starkville Academy girls soccer team rebounded in a big way to defeat Heritage Academy 8-0 at the Joe Cook Soccer Complex.
Payton Allen had a hat trick (three goals), Anna McKell added two goals, and Bailey Clark, Sydney Passons, and Tiffany Huddleston also had goals to help the Lady Volunteers regroup from a 5-0 loss Tuesday.
“I think we were more creative in the midfield,” Gardner said. “The communication was a ton better. The movement of the ball was a ton better. We communicated so poorly Tuesday and the communication was greatly improved today.”
Gardner said he expressed his thoughts very clearly to his players following the loss to Presbyterian Christian. He told the Lady Volunteers that their level of commitment had to increase if they wanted to have the chance to advance to the playoffs and earn revenge against Presbyterian Christian, which eliminated them last season.
Against Heritage Academy (1-1), Starkville Academy used crisp passing and movement into space to stretch the defense wide. The Lady Volunteers” unselfish play allowed players to find seams in the defense and their teammates to deliver through balls. The combination play worked on nearly every ball, as several Lady Volunteers were involved in the buildup to each goal.
Allen, a junior, used hustle to get into position and then capitalized on that passing to score three goals. In the seventh minute, she worked with Huddleston and Jordan Jackson for the first goal. In the 26th minute, she combined with Clark and Passons. On her third goal in the 51st minute, she took advantage of work on the right side by Jacey Williams, Tiffany Evans, and Passons and received a cross on the left side to make it 6-0.
“We really have been working on playing with a second defender and playing through balls to open up positions so we can get an on-goal shot,” Allen said.
Clark, one of only two seniors on the team, said Starkville Academy had one of those days against Presbyterian Christian and didn”t apply anything it had worked on in practice.
It was a totally different story Thursday, as the Lady Volunteers used unselfish play to capitalize on a lack of pressure defense and plenty of space.
“I think we”re just trying to work as a team and not just relying on one person to score the goals,” Allen said. “We”re trying to move as a unit down the field and have everybody get forward toward goal.”
Gardner hopes the victory shows the Lady Volunteers what they can do when they play with urgency.
“We don”t have any other option,” Gardner said. “You”re not going to find a team that plays at a high level that plays in silence. You can”t play without communicating.”
Starkville Academy held a 34-3 edge in shots. Rachel Stukenborg had the only shot on goal for the Lady Patriots (0-2) late in the first half. Mary Claire Akins made 10 saves and helped keep the score below double digits.
“Mary Claire did a great job,” Heritage Academy coach Krisi Boren said. “I think she was a little nervous at first as to when to come out, but I think once she got warmed up she did a good job.”
Boren said the defense was keeping its shape and the players weren”t supporting each other like she has seen them do. She also wants to work on moving the ball faster and communicating better. If that happens, Boren is confident her team can have success against division opponents like Washington School.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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