By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Hayden soccer fought back from a 3-1 halftime deficit to remain undefeated with a 5-3 win over Seaman on the Wildcats' Senior Night.
The Wildcats and Vikings were both undefeated entering Friday's match and Hayden was able to move to 14-0-0 while celebrating the 10 seniors on their roster.
Hayden senior Carsyn Broxterman (4), who registered a three-goal hat trick, celebrates Friday's 5-3 Senior Night win over Seaman. [Photo by Vince Lovergine/TSN]
Hayden had allowed just four goals through its first 13 matches with 10 shutouts, but gave up three goals in the first half to the Vikings.
After Sawyer Wrench scored Hayden's lone goal in the half off a Grace Funk corner kick, the Wildcats scored three goals in a span of 9:05 to lead 4-3, two of them coming from senior Carsyn Broxterman.
Broxterman would add the hat trick deep inside the box after Seaman missed a clearing attempt and Broxterman was right there to tap it in with 24:04 left in the match.
“She's just amazing,'' Hayden coach Klaus Kreutzer said of Broxterman. "Her work ethic starts with practice and she does the same thing at practice and she elevates her teammates and when she gets the ball.
"She kind of sets things in motion and then she puts pressure on the other team and sometimes they have to react.''
Freshman Emma Slyter got the assist on Broxterman's first goal and Slyter also scored a goal off a Funk assist to tie the game at 3-3 with 34:17 remaining.
Seaman certainly had its chances on the offensive side to trim the deficit but could not get anything else past senior goalkeeper Lauren Borjon, who played the second half for the Wildcats.
“We started out slowly, we kind of got in a hole and I think we collected our wits at halftime and to give them credit, they came back. I mean we played a good team, but we're a good team, too, I'm surprised.''
A dog fight was the perfect way to describe Friday's match in Kreutzer’s eyes.
“They're kind of our rivals in other sports as well and not having lost a game was a little motivation for us as well,” he said.
Seaman dropped to 11-1-2 on the campaign.
The Vikings will play at home on Tuesday against Leavenworth while Hayden will play at Emporia.
