By VINCE LOVERGINE
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural girls soccer rode three first-half goals to a 3-0 win over Shawnee Heights Monday night at the Bettis Family Sports Complex
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“We’ve had a tough schedule, we’ve played a lot of road games and we’ve played some good competition and I think we’re making progress,'' Rural coach Brian Hensyel said. "Anytime that you play a team in the city, a lot of kids know each other and you want to have a good win and our best trait in this one was our defense didn’t allow them too many chances and pitched a shutout which is good.''
Rural had all the offensive momentum in the first half, keeping Shawnee Heights on their heels most of the first 40 minutes. Rural had 12 corner kicks and five shots on goal.
“Scoring goals has been a little tougher this year,'' Hensyel said. "Last year we kind of scored goals with ease and had forwards who would go get 30 goals … we’ve had to manufacture stuff. We’re doing all the right stuff. At least in the high school level, getting the ball in the box in any capacity is the danger zone.
"We did that a lot but we just missed a few shots, the keeper made some saves. The production is good, we just have to find a few more in the back of the net.''
The first goal for the Junior Blues came at the 22:37 mark from senior midfielder Allie Schroder inside the box.
About eight minutes later, Washburn Rural would capitalize on a corner kick. Senior Dayne Shriver put it in play, junior Brooklyn Rutherford finished it off at the 13:15 mark to go up 2-0.
Then just about two minutes later at the 10:37 mark, another corner kick occurred and junior Emery Hall put one home to make it 3-0 and that would end up being the final score.
Two of the three goals were on corner kicks in this matchup and Hensyel said that will be key for their success moving forward.
“About a week or so ago we watched film of all of the goals we either scored or gave up in the first eight games of the season … we do emphasize trying to earn them and we ran our plays better tonight,'' Hensyel said. "We had opportunities but their keeper came up big a couple of times.
"I was hoping we could put a few more in the back of the net but that’s always something we’re going to emphasize because in high school soccer, that’s always a huge advantage to have those set pieces.''
For Shawnee Heights, that was its second time in three games being shut out after pitching two shutouts previously over Turner and Topeka West.
Rural will play Trinity Academy at home on Tuesday. Shawnee Heights will also play Tuesday against Lansing at Bettis Sports Complex.
