Marysville’s Kaylee Griffith (8) heads the ball against Ontario Saturday afternoon. The Lady Monarchs beat the state-ranked Warriors, 4-0.
(Journal-Tribune photo by Tim Miller)
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Marysville High School girls soccer coach Nathan Andrews discovered something Saturday afternoon that he’s been waiting for all season.
“For the first time, I think we came together as a team,” said Andrews after the Lady Monarchs’ 4-0 victory over Ontario. “We started moving the ball and playing better together.”
The Lady Monarchs (2-2-1) put together their best total-team effort of the campaign to date as they controlled field position and ball possession for much of the 80 minutes.
Marysville outshot the Warriors, 23-6, and MHS keepers Anna Weigand and Keely Mankins needed only three saves between them to preserve the shutout.
Weigand was not challenged during the first half, while Mankins’ rejections came during the second stanza.
Ontario went into the contest with a 5-2 record and a third-place ranking in the most recent Division II state coaches poll.
The Lady Warriors, though, were clearly outclassed by Marysville.
MHS (which will host Westland for the Kick for a Cure game on Tuesday) scored a little more than five minutes into the contest.
Sarah O’Neil took a pass from Maddie Shumway and put the ball in the net for the initial goal.
That play was an indication of how Marysville would play under the day’s brilliant sunshine.
“We had passes hitting feet all day,” said Andrews.
More than 30 minutes went into the books before the Lady Monarchs again scored.
With 2:35 on the first-half timer, Kendall Duke gave MHS a 2-0 margin.
Jenna Rioch put the ball in the net with 1:07 to play to give Marysville a 3-0 halftime margin.
MHS’ defense prevented the Warriors from mounting much in the way of an offensive attack during the second half.
The Lady Monarchs added one final goal with 20:54 to play.
Caitlin Cotner tallied that score to help give Marysville the easy victory.
“Everything finally clicked for us today,” said Andrews.