The Crookston Pirate Girls Soccer team played an excellent defensive game while keeping the powerful Bemidji Lumberjacks at bay, but they only got one shot on goal in a 4-0 loss in a game played at the Crookston High School Soccer Field.
FIRST HALF –
The first real scoring opportunity came five minutes into the game when Bemidji’s Hannah Voge was able to get by a Crookstond defender and got a nice kick on net, but Pirate goalie Reese Swanson was ready and made the two-hand save to keep the game scoreless. About five minutes later, Crookston had their first quality scoring chance when Cassie Solheim, the Pirate leading scorer, got the ball about 15 yards out and kicked the ball, but just missed to the right, and the teams were still scoreless 10 minutes into the game.
Bemidji controlled play for most of the first 20 minutes of the half and had three or four quality scoring chances 15 minutes into the game, but Swanson was up to the task with a couple of saves, including an outstanding diving stop.
Bemidji continued their relentless offensive pressure with shot after shot. Finally, with over five minutes remaining in the half, the Lumberjacks’ Sage Zetah-Cornelius found the back of the net for a 1-0 lead.
Crookston’s defense and Swanson had a tremendous first half while holding Bemidji to one goal on 10 shots. Crookston’s offense struggled while only getting one shot on goal.
SECOND HALF –
Bemidji dominated in the second half as their offense continued the relentless pressure on the Crookston defense. The Crookston defense did a great job of not giving up any great scoring chances in the first five minutes of the half. Bemidji had the ball in front of the net, and a Crookston defender tried to clear it, but it went into the Crookston goal to give the Lumberjacks a 2-0 lead.
Bemidji slowly wore down the Pirates as they added a goal with 13 minutes left when Marah Bitter was in front and kicked the ball into the net for a 3-0 lead.
Less than five minutes later, Bemidji had a beautiful goal when Marah Wright found Makayla Meza alone in front, and she one-time kicked the ball in the net, and all of a sudden, Bemidji had a 4-0 lead. With less than 10 minutes left in the game.
The Lumberjacks came inches away from another goal with under six minutes remaining when a kick from about 20-yards went off the crossbar, and Swanson grabbed the ball in front of the goal. The game would end with Bemidji winning 4-0.
Crookston drops to 2-5-2 on the year and will travel to Fergus Falls to take on Hillcrest Academy on Thursday.
CROOKSTON COACH SARAH REESE’S COMMENTS ARE BELOW –
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| Crookston | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Melrose | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Scoring
34:14 – BEM – Sage Zetah-Cornelius
45:00 – BEM – Emma Wright
65:56 – BEM – Marah Bitter
70:19 – BEM – Makayla Meza (Marah Bitter)
| SAVES | 1 | 2 | Total |
| Reese Swanson – Crox | 9 | 13 | 22 |
| Kiera Nelson – Bem | 1 | 0 | 1 |
