The Lady Spartan soccer team notched three more wins, taking their streak to seven since their week two, double-overtime, penalty kick loss to Regina Catholic. Solon posted wins on the road against Benton Community, 2-0, on April 18, at West Liberty, 10-0, on April 21, and a home win on April 23 against the Liberty Lightning, 2-1, expunging the Regal loss in similar fashion.
Solon put two goals on the board against Benton Community in the first half courtesy of Gabby Knipper and Morgan Link. Link shot four times, three on goal with one successful score, and Knipper fired three times, twice on goal with one successful in the game.
The Lady Spartans’ defense held the Bobcats silent in the second half as well to seal the victory. Solon held Benton to just four shots and one on goal in the competition, allowing the Bobcats only four shots with only one on goal.
Solon took 11 shots total with seven on goal during the victory, with Rose McAtee firing twice, once on goal; Alex Locke shooting once on goal; and Addi Greene firing once, as well. Alex Paisley was credited for the entire game in front of the goal, recording three saves.
“We were able to put away two goals in the first half with the wind at out back,” Head Coach Amanda Paulson elaborated. “Gabby (Knipper) and Grace (Yetley) did a great job of showing up in the middle to receive the ball, I think this allowed us to be successful offensively.”
She added, “Benton had increased pressure on us the second half when they had the wind at their back. I think we did well defensively and Izzy Paisley allowed us to possess out of the back and work the ball through the midfield. Hopefully, our upcoming games bring less wind!”
Coach Paulson clarified first half leads do not equate to less pressure in the second half for the players or the coaches.
“It’s great to have a lead going into the second half, but I don’t think it reduces our pressure. A 2-0 lead is the most dangerous score going into a second half,” she explained. “We also had the wind at our face going into the second half and we knew that was going to bring extra challenges.”
Solon moved to 6-1 for the season and Benton slid to 3-6.
The Lady Spartans blanked the Comets 10-0 for Solon’s third shut out thus far in the season, albeit the first on the road, scoring five goals in the first half and five in the second.
Coach Paulson acknowledged the multiple shut outs have the players excited.
“I definitely think the players are excited about the wins and are creating positive expectations of coming out and taking care of business.”
She praised the Comets’ early efforts, however the Lady Spartans’ energy was the deciding factor.
“The comets had a couple of players with speed up top that put some pressure on our back line, but I thought we handled it well and we did not perceive any significant threat,” she commented. “The team came out with high intensity and energy, getting a goal in less than a minute. This energy carried us through the remainder of the game.”
Coach Paulson credited many players for contributing to the team’s success.
“Morgan Link took consistent corner kicks with great placement, this gave us two goals for the game- Radcliffe and Locke,” she praised. “We also had good ball movement through the middle which allowed us to change point of attack. All of our players coming off the bench hustled and created chances for us offensively with a number of players getting a goal. I also felt Elena Swan had a great game as outside mid!”
The Lady Spartans turned their attention to Saturday’s home game versus the Liberty High Lightning and forecast for 60-degree game time temperatures.
“Liberty will be a tough opponent and will be a good game to prepare us for the competition coming for the remainder of the season,” she professed.
The game against the Lightning, as Coach Paulson prognosticated, was a conflict.
Rose McAtee planted Solon’s only regulation score in the opening minutes of the first half with the wind in the Lady Spartans’ favor. The Lightning appeared to possess more speed than Solon but the Lady Spartans stepped in supporting one another defensively to hold Liberty in check during the remainder of the first half.
“There was definitely some concern that we only had one in the first half with the wind at our back, but that just meant we had to have more focus in the second half,” Coach Paulson explained. “I think McAtee’s goal gave the girls a higher level of energy on the field.”
The Lightning received the wind advantage in the second half but the Lady Spartans appeared to score as Farrah Hendricks buried the ball in the back of the net only to have it waved off due to an off sides penalty. The Lightning scored just before the midway point of the half, tying the score at 1-1. As regulation play expired, the score remained knotted.
Coach Paulson professed being concerned heading into the overtimes.
“With the overtimes, I was concerned about the wind and players getting fatigued, but this is what we have been training for and conditioning for,” she shared.
Two scoreless overtime periods sent the game into penalty kicks with the Lady Spartans nosing out the Lightning, 5-4, for the 2-1 victory.
McAtee scored one goal taking four shots, three on goal; Link fired four times, twice on goal; and Gabby Knipper shot once on goal. Alex Paisley spent all 100 minutes in the goal making one save.
Asked to highlight outstanding performances from the game, Coach Paulson paid homage to the entire team’s performance.
“I cannot highlight a single performance,” she said. “What our girls accomplished on Saturday was a team effort across the board. Liberty had some speed up top that required us to be careful defensively and play quickly out of the back.”
Coach Paulson appreciated the sunshine and temperatures.
“So nice!” She exclaimed.
She also conceded the wind played a significant part of the game.
“The wind was strong enough it definitely made a difference, both offensively and defensively. I sure hope Mother Nature is cheering up,” Coach Paulson said with a smile.
The win elevated the Lady Spartans’ record to 8-1 for the season, 5-0 in the WaMaC East standings ahead of Mount Vernon (5-1, 4-1), Beckman Catholic (3-5, 3-3), Maquoketa (1-6, 1-5), Marion (0-5, 0-3) and West Delaware (0-7, 0-6). The loss moved the Liberty Lighting to 3-5 for the season, fifth in the Mississippi Valley-Mississippi standings behind Linn-Mar, Cedar Falls, Western Dubuque and Iowa City High and leading Wahlert Catholic, Prairie and Cedar Rapids Washington.
The Lady Spartans traveled to Goodenow Field in Maquoketa to face the Cardinals Tuesday, April 26 at 5 p.m. and host Mount Vernon on Friday, April 29, at Spartan Stadium at 5:30 p.m. followed by a trek to Center Point’s Fross Park to battle the Center Point-Urbana Stormin’ Pointers at 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 3, and will visit Williamsburg High School to engage the Raiders on Thursday, May 5, at 5 p.m.
Statistics for the article courtesy of Varsitybound.com on April 24.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Jeff Hess

Alex Locke reverses the ball’s direction in front of the Lightning’s Grace Heddens during Solon’s 2-0 triumph following two overtimes and a penalty kick duel on Saturday, April 23.