Varsity Soccer Season Opener with AASD

The Cougars opened their season on Friday with a resounding 7-2 win over AASD at Waller Park. Both teams got off to a bit of a slow start, as first game nerves were worked out in the opening minutes of the contest. Then, after a defensive breakdown, AASD scored the opener on a breakaway, leaving the Cougars in an early hole. The defense solidified from there, allowing only one goal for the entire remainder of the game. Natalie Yager, Brett Boyles, Elijah Joiner, and DJ Donaldson proved to be an immovable object in the back, and they were aided by Toby Nwokedi, Tommy Ingle, and Mac DeBalsi. Aidan Briggs’s debut in goal was a solid one, as he produced several fine saves. Providing the offense spark that got the Cougars level again were Roman Lawlor, Larry Orsini, Shane Hendrickson, Maria Knezek, and Dalton Lantz. Larry netted the equalizer a few minutes after scoring, and got his second goal of the match on a penalty to put the Cougars up 2-1. Two more goals courtesy of Larry and Dalton, and another AASD goal against the run of play, gave the Cougars a 4-2 lead at halftime.

The second half was a dominant one for the Cougars, as AASD struggled with stamina, a lack of subs, and injuries. Alex Hoeve and Shane Hendrickson controlled the midfield, and the Cougars bossed their opponents around the field. Larry tacked on a fourth goal, and Shane got 2 of his own. Colton Parks, Kyle Kimble, Eric Vogel, and Alex Yager tore up and down the sidelines. Mitchell Starks, Javier Cremer, and Nick Rice provided midfield depth and played key passes that sprung Cougar attacks. Overall, it was an impressive opening win, and the coaches were quite pleased with the performance.

Next up: 8/22 @ Brandon Hall 4:30pm