CHARITON — The biggest problem for the Creston girls soccer team here Tuesday in a 3-0 loss to Chariton was that the Panthers lacked urgency, head coach Kim Lauffer said.
“We did not play with urgency until about the last 15 minutes,” Lauffer said. “The last 15 minutes, we started playing the way I’d seen the girls play well in the past. The last 15 minutes, we focused on making passes and playing with urgency. It was hard to get them motivated.”
By that time, the Panthers already trailed 3-0, having surrendered two goals in the first half and one early in the second half.
Taylor Tuley found the back of the net first at the 18:26 mark and Vicki Slobodyanik knocked one in at the 39:02 mark. Emily Grismore talllied the third goal at the 48:22 mark in the second half.
Lauffer elected to move senior goalie Sadie Jones into the field for the second half, which seemed to provide more of a spark for the Panthers.
“We actually did quite q bit of shifting in the second half,” she said. “We pushed Hanna (Luther) up more into the midfield. We played more of a diamond offense in the midfield.
“Having Sadie in the field changes the pace of play. Our three captains — Hanna, Michelle Powers and Sadie — the way they play often determines how well their teammates will play for them. When they play hard, their teammates come out and play hard.”
That change resulted in a more aggressive style of play in the final 15 minutes, when Lauffer finally saw that urgency from her team.
But it was too little, too late by that point.
“We’ve always competed well with Chariton,” Lauffer said. “Chariton played well. They outshot us in that first half. We need to practice with more urgency.”
Jones finished with three saves in goal and put two shots on goal while playing in the field. Becca Ross, who replaced Jones in goal, finished with eight saves, allowing just one goal.
Powers finished the game with two shots on goal.
Creston falls to 0-6 for the season with the loss. The Panthers return to action Tuesday at Lewis Central and host Chariton on May 5.
Chariton improved to 3-1 for the season.
“I’m hoping when we meet them again, we’ll play with the urgency we did the last 15 minutes,” Lauffer said.
JV
Creston lost the junior varsity game, 2-0.
Ross had three saves and allowed two goals. Livi Hartman replaced her in goal with nine saves.
As a team, Creston had six shots with two of those being on goal.
Chariton 3, Creston 0
Creston (0) — Shots (on goal) — 12 (8 on goal). Individual shots (on goal)— Savannah Hartman 4 (1 on goal), Jenna Hayes 1 (1 on goal), Michelle Powers 2 (2 on goal), Hanna Luther 1 (1 on goal), Shelby Palser 1 (1 on goal), Itzayanna Rubio 1. Keeper saves — Sadie Jones 3, Becca Ross 8.
Chariton (3) — Taylor Tuley goal, 18:26; Vicki Slobodyanik goal, 39:02; Emily Grismore goal, 48:22. Shots (on goal) — 18.