Vikes blow by Independence

By Becky Walz,

Friday, April 16, 2021 2:18 pm

The Decorah girls’ soccer team moved to 2-0 early in the season with a 6-0 shut out over Independence Monday evening at home.
“In a game with strong winds blowing the length of the field like today, you really need to be aware of what you can and cannot do,” said Coach Loren Hendrickson. “Our defense, which was a concern of mine starting the season, held firm and seems to be getting a better grasp of their roles. I hope that’s a continuing trend.”
Independence won the coin flip and chose to go with the wind in the first half. Several Mustang players had strong shots, launching them from distance repeatedly.  
“They were hoping for a misplay, a deflection or a drop from our goalkeeper. Our goalkeeper, Grace Bachelder, made every save she should have and added some other really good saves that other goalkeepers might have missed. She ended the game with 12 total saves, almost all in the first half,” noted Coach Hendrickson.
Decorah was patient throughout the first half, looking to keep the ball on the ground and out of the wind as the Vikes faced the gale. A long diagonal ball from Payton Taylor to Abby Milburn allowed Decorah to score the first goal of the game.  Another goal was scored when Taryn Sanderman sent a ball across the top of the box that found Clara Rooney undefended as she placed the ball in the right corner for her first score of the game.
The second half went back and forth; about halfway through the period Sanderman tapped in the rebound off a Clara Rooney shot to put Decorah up 3-0. After that, the floodgates opened and the Vikes scored three more as Rooney and Taylor scored on direct free kicks and Sanderman put in her second after turning her defender around at the top of the penalty area.
The Vikings host Gladbrook-Reinbeck tonight (Thursday, April 15) at 5:30 p.m. Next week will begin with Decorah on its home pitch Monday, April 19, versus Waterloo East at 5 p.m.

Submit A Comment

Fill out the form to submit a comment. All comments require approval by our staff before it is displayed on the website.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comment
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments