The Crookston Pirate Girls Soccer team hosted Fergus Falls Hillcrest Academy and picked up their first win of the season, winning 2-1. “I really thought it was a good group effort” said the Pirates Head Coach Sarah Reese.
The game started with both teams keeping the ball in the middle third of the field. Both the Pirates and Comets were struggling to find seams for through-balls to spring their forwards. Around twenty minutes into the half, Crookston realized how the Comets’ defensive scheme, and after some adjustments, the Pirates were able to start applying some sustained pressure. Soon after the adjustments in the offensive game plan, Cassie Solheim found herself in a opening on the left corner of the penalty box about twenty yards out, and put the ball far side corner to give the Pirates their first lead of the season. The rest of the half would see the ball in the Hillcrest Academy’s side of the field. Reese Swanson in net for the Pirates only had three low-danger shots against in the first half, making all three saves. Crookston would go into the halftime break up 1-0.
The second half started back and forth with no teams getting sustained pressure on net. “We would have burst of offense, and then we would be a little on the backs of our feet, and then we’d have another burst.” said Coach Reese. During those offensive bursts, the Pirates utilized those corner forwards and multiple players were getting shots on net from both sides of the field. The Pirates would be rewarded for their persistence when a Joslyn Wallace freekick would find Cassie Solheim, who would turn towards the net, beat her defender, and would beat the keeper to make this a 2-0 game. That goal proved to be a pivotal one, as less than a minute later, the Comets would quickly move down field on the attack. The Pirates seemed to be caught on their heels as the Comets centered the ball and Emma Rademaker was able to beat Swanson to get the Comets back within one. After the Comet goal, Reese Swanson made a huge save on a Comet who broke from the defense, by running up and not being afraid of contact to grab the loose ball to keep the score at 2-1. “Reese Swanson had a stellar performance, and frankly there was a couple opportunities where she saved us.” said Coach Reese. The Pirates would step up their defense to prevent the Comets from tying up this game. “We have to work together, and be gritty at those last six to seven minutes,” said Coach Reese, “and we played smart soccer at the end.”
The Pirates improve to 1-1 and will host St. John’s Prep on Thursday in Crookston.
| 1st | 2nd | Final | |
| FF Hillcrest Academy | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| CROOKSTON | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Scoring
20:00 -Crox – Cassie Solheim (1)
72:00 – Crox – Cassie Solheim (2) (Joslyn Wallace)
73:00 – FFHA – Emma Rademaker
| SAVES | 1 | 2 | Final |
| Reese Swanson – Crox | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Hannah Rodzwill – FFHA | 8 | 6 | 14 |
