Lady Falcons Come off the Deck to Swab Pirates

With the cacophony of 11 goals scored on them two nights before still resonating in their ears, the Elmira girls' soccer team came home Thursday night to the best present they could have asked for;  a winless Marshfield team still looking for their first win of the season.  

Showing, before unseen, ferocity, the Lady Falcons used a combination of midfield strength and a decided advantage in team speed to thump the Lady Pirates 4-1 in a injury shortened game Thursday October 4 at Swartz Field.  An unidentified Marshfield player was reported to have dislocated her knee and after the delay, the game was called.  

Elmira's Kennady Laing fires a goal past Marshfield goalkeeper Sabrina Thurman in the first half of the Falcons' 4-1 victory Thursday October 4 at Swartz Field.  Photo by Kimberly Lillie

With the exception of a defensive lapse when Marshfield's Khaley Aquliar broke through on a breakaway to register Marshfield's lone score, the remainder of the game was decidedly played at the other end of the field, where Kennady Laing and Clair Head made repeated assaults on the Lady Pirate's goal.  At the half, Elmira had already out shot Marshfield 15-3, unofficially.  Laing scored twice from point blank range in the first half to stake the Lady Falcons to a 2-0 lead.  

The Falcons' Maddie Wisner wins a battle for the ball in Elmira's 4-1 over Marshfield Thursday October 4 at Swartz Field.
Photo by Kimberly Lillie

In the second half, goals by Eden Blunt and Kaycee Monagon put the game out of reach of Marshfield.  Throughout the game, Elmira's superior strength in the middle continually propelled the Falcons ferocious attack leading to repeated sprints and open shots on the goal.  Head had 4 drives on goal that were near misses.  One was called an offside.  

Paige Reichenberger splits two Marshfield defenders as she rushes on goal in the Falcons' 4-1 win over the Lady Pirates, Thursday October 4 at Swartz Field.  Photo by Kimberly Lillie

The win raised the Lady Falcons' record to 4-4-1 (2-2), alone in second place in the Sky-Em Conference, while Marshfield fell to 0-9 (0-4).

Laing, Monagan Lead Lady Falcons over South Umpqua

Kennady Laing set the tone with two early goals and Kaycee Monagan finished job with two second half goals as the Lady Falcons soccer team routed over matched 3A South Umpqua 4- nil Thursday September 13 at Swartz Field.

Kennady Laing races downfield with the ball against a South Umpqua defender during the Falcons' 4-0 win over the Lady Lancers.  Laing scored twice in the contest.  Photo: Kimberly Lillie

With Megan Porter patrolling the center of the field, the Lady Lancers were unable to muster any semblance of an offensive attack.  Meanwhile, Lancers' goal keeper Haley McAvoy was assailed with shots all game as Elmira out shot South Umpqua 21-0.

Elmira's Maddie Wisner fires one of the Falcons' 21 shots on goal during the Elmira's 4-0 win over South Umpqua Thursday September 13 at Swartz Field.  Photo: Kimberly Lillie 

Lainge scored early as the Falcons frequently crowded McAvoy to get off point blank shots on goal.
Monagan scored on a rebound from a Laing shot in the second half and off a corner kick that McAvoy lost control of, bounding into the net for the fourth Falcons' score.

"Kaycee Monagon is starting to get back in to her 2nd-Team All-League form," head coach Rob Lee commented in an email.  "She is making some really great passes, setting up our wings for great opportunities down the sideline, and her free kicks are getting locked in as witnessed by her scoring directly from the corner kick for her second goal of the night.  Having her back up to speed will really help our offense moving forward in to league play."
  

Elmira's Kaycee Monagan moves downfield during the Falcons' 4-0 win over South Umpqua September 13 at Swartz Field. Photo: Kimberly Lillie

The victory left the Lady Falcons 2-2 on the season with one game left in the non-conference schedule.  After a neutral site contest with Astoria next Tuesday in Wilsonville, they will open conference play on the road at Cottage Grove on September 25.

"Marist will be a formidable opponent once league play starts," noted Lee, "and Cottage Grove, although they are only 1-2-1, they will also be very tough in league. I think realistically we are looking to fight for 2nd in league with Grove and Junction City.  The good news about whatever happens this season is that we get another shot at a league title with all my players returning for next year."