The Detroit Lakes Lakers Girl’s Soccer team scored with less than 13 minutes remaining in the first half and that’s all they would need in a 1-0 victory over the Crookston Pirate Girl’s Soccer team in a game played at the Crookston High School soccer field on Thursday afternoon. Despite being held scoreless for the second straight match, Pirates head coach Sarah Reese was overall pleased with her team’s performance, especially on defense. “We played awesome in the middle third of the pitch,” Reese said. “We caused lots of congestion on defense, and Detroit Lakes had to earn every dribble, pass, and possession.”
The Pirates have played solid defense so far this season, holding all three of their opponents to two goals or less, including just one goal allowed in each of the last two games. Reese said that several of her players continued to make strides defensively Thursday. “We switched to a 4-1-4-1 formation, which gives our defense more stability,” Reese said. “Rylee Solheim, Dillynn and JoJo Wallace and Aleah Bienek were rock solid on defense. Olivia Huck played defensive midfielder and had another stellar game.”
The Pirates were also much more competitive with Detroit Lakes on Thursday as compared to previous years. In 2017, Detroit Lakes beat Crookston in girls’ soccer 9-0 and 7-0, and then 4-0 and 7-0 respectively in 2018. “I thought we played great Thursday,” Reese said. “That was the best soccer I’ve seen us play against a top team in the last year or so. I know the girls can be competitive with the top teams. They needed to do it and see that also. Detroit Lakes was near the top of Section 8A last year, and they’ve beaten us quite handily in recent past.”
Crookston drops to 1-2 on the year and will host Pelican Rapids on Tuesday, while Detroit Lakes improves to 2-1.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Detroit Lakes | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| CROOKSTON | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Scoring:
27:14 – DL – Maddy Bowers
| Saves | 1st | 2nd | Total |
| Reese Swanson – Crox | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Elle Betcher – DL | 1 | 1 | 2 |
