By By AARON CARPENTER, Staff Correspondent
While the first half wasn’t pretty, the Washington Lady Pam Pack soccer team defeated the South Central Lady Falcons 6-0 Monday night on the strength of six second half goals.
Washington’s keeper, Ashley Crompton, didn’t need to stir from her spot until the 60th minute as the Pack (7-5-0, 5-3-0) dominated the game, not allowing South Central (0-9-3, 0-7-2) a single shot, let alone one on goal.
For the Pack side, the team amassed 35 shots, 18 of which made it on goal.
The majority of those shots came in the second half from the quartet of Xenia Adonts, Blaine Prescott, Hayley Stowe and Beth Bachelor.
The aforementioned also scored all six goals, two from Bachelor and Prescott, and one apiece for Adonts and Stowe.
While the Pack did manage several shots on goal in the first half, South Central’s speed on defense and the play of Falcons’ keeper Crystal Rouse kept the Washington side from finding the back of the net. It didn’t help that many a shot from the Pack went wide or over the goal.
Washington finally broke the 0-0 tie 10 minutes into the second half when the Falcons’ Jessica Muron fouled a Pack player.
The official called the advantage, allowing play to continue, and Prescott launched a high shot that the keeper initially stopped, but bobbled in the air and the ball crossed the goal line. Muron was then given a yellow card for the infraction.
That opened the floodgates for the Lady Pack. Five minutes later, after a good build-up by Washington, Bachelor found the ball at her feet and drilled a laser of a shot past Rouse to make the score 2-0.
Over the next 10 minutes, the Pack was relentless, getting shot after shot, many of which were on goal this time around.
With just over 12 minutes left in the game, Stowe delivered a brilliant cross from the right side of the field into the 18-yard box that Bachelor connected with to give the freshman her second goal of the tilt.
Less than a minute later, Bachelor returned the favor by getting Stowe the ball and Stowe took advantage by driving the ball low into the left corner, leaving the keeper no chance to make a play.
Just two minutes later, the Falcons’ keeper misplayed a free kick directly to the feet of Adonts, and the German native struck true, getting the ball just under the diving Rouse.
Prescott finished up the scoring for Washington in the 76th minute, striking what was probably the most spectacular goal of the match. She dribbled through several defenders before unloading on the ball with her left foot, drilling it just in between the keeper and the right post.
While the home fans were nervous throughout the first half, the second saw them relaxed and jubilant as their Lady Pack took control and cruised to victory.
The Washington side returns to action Wednesday at West Craven at 7 p.m.