NORTH LIBERTY- Saturday’s matchup against 9th-ranked Iowa City Liberty Lightning (7-0-1) was a chance for Solon to rewrite their season, but the Spartans (3-5-1) couldn’t overcome the relentless pressure from Liberty, who dominated the field in a 7–0 victory. With the loss, the Spartans have dropped their last three.
Liberty got things underway from the opening whistle, overwhelming Solon with crisp passing and relentless pressure, racing out to a 3–0 lead. Morgan Bennett sparked the Lightning attack, scoring twice and setting the tempo, while Liberty’s midfield dominated possession with quick, smart passes.
Temperatures in the mid-50s made for a brisk but comfortable morning, but the winds couldn’t slow down the Lightning.
Solon showed flashes of life. With 29:13 remaining in the first half, Rose McAtee found a rare opening and ripped a clean shot on goal for one of Solon’s best chances of the match, but Liberty’s keeper made a save on all fours to preserve the shutout and keep the score at 3–0.
Liberty was able to find the back of the net two more times in the next five minutes, getting the lead to five, and staying that way until the break.
With about 15 minutes left in regulation and Liberty leading 6–0, Addi Greene threaded a pass forward to McAtee on a promising run downfield. For a moment, it looked like Solon might break through, but the play was ruled offside, halting the chance of any late hopes of getting on the board.
After those opportunities, Liberty clamped down even harder. Solon’s counterattacks were quickly neutralized by Liberty’s aggressive defensive unit, and the Spartans struggled to find rhythm. Ava Tague made six strong saves in net to keep Solon scoreless, but Liberty’s relentless pressure widened the gap to a final score of 7–0.
Throughout the match, Liberty used the full width of the field, stretching Solon’s defense thin and keeping their energy high, the ball seeming to be on Solon’s end the entire match. With the loss, the Spartans’ skid stretched to three straight games.
Liberty’s carried traits that could carry them deep into the postseason, a good test for Solon as the search for a turnaround continues, with urgency rising as the season presses forward.
Independence 7 Solon 0
The week opened with a visit from Independence Monday, April 21 and a 7-0 shutout loss for the Lady Spartans. The majority of the damage was done in the first half with five goals suffered in the period.
Vinton-Shellsburg 5 Solon 3
Thursday, April 24, Solon visited the Vikettes falling 5-3 scoring one goal in the first half and two in the second. Stats for the Lady Spartans were not available as of deadline.
Upcoming schedule
Tuesday, May 6 – Home vs. Grinnell, 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, May 8 – At Marion HS, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 10 – Home vs. Mount Vernon, 9:30 a.m.