The Carlmont junior varsity girls soccer team won its SVC Tournament game against Leigh at home on Dec. 2, defeating the Longhorns 3-0.
The Scots opened the first half with little energy, but took control in the second half.
After their slow start, the team tightened up both offensively and defensively, finding scoring opportunities. The Scots showed resilience and worked well together on the field during the game.
“We practiced yesterday on how to press when the other team has a goal kick. And we actually scored a goal out of winning the ball back,” said coach Jean-Pierre Dijcks.
The Scots’ preparation in practice was evident on the offensive side, as they successfully scored goals. However, the defense struggled to remain calm when moving the ball.
“I think we were a bit rusty in our defense, and we weren’t calm enough to play the ball out from the defense,” Dijcks said.
Even though the defense was rusty early in the game, it improved over time.
“As soon as we scored that first goal, everything started to click,” Dijcks said.
The first goal in the half drove the Scots’ motivation to continue. With more controlled possession, they were able to find a rhythm.
“I think we had a lot more communication in the second half, which kind of slowed our game down,” said Lauren McLinden.
The communication and teamwork allowed other players to make critical moves, leading to major saves throughout the half.
“I thought you got this. Just go for it,” said Kylie Gallagher.
Gallagher had a big save as the goalie. This helped motivate her teammates to play more aggressively, which changed the pace of the game and was followed by two goals by the Scots.
McLinden managed to score a goal despite a chaotic moment. The goal boosted the team’s momentum until the end, leading to a decisive win.
“I didn’t really know where to go. I pulled the ball back and then just kicked the ball, and the goalie missed it, and it went in,” McLinden said.
After this win, the team is looking forward to more games together, and the players have a positive outlook on the rest of the season.
“This game makes me trust them a lot more, and gets me a feel for the rest of the season,” Gallagher said.
