No. 10 Jens soccer edge Fort Hays State 2–1 in OT
by Alex Agueros Sports Editor
No. 10 ranked Central Missouri Jennies soccer (9–0–1, 6–0 MIAA) edged out Fort Hays State (5–4–1, 3–2–1) in overtime 2–1 for their seventh straight win. After picking up a 3–0 win over Nebraska-Kearney the night before. Central is still undefeated and atop the MIAA standings.
Freshman midfielder Taylor Thompson scored the first goal of her collegiate career against Fort Hays on a shot both parts skilled and miraculous. Controlling the ball from outside a congested goalie box, Thompson lifted her shot 30 feet from the net, over the head and outstretched arms of Fort Hays’ goalkeeper.
“What a great hit off the left foot,” head coach Lewis Theobald said of the game-winning shot. “It’s a great hit. It’s one of the best goals I’ve seen in my time here.”
Thompson’s 96th minute game-winner ended a match that the Jennies had led 1–0 for 71 minutes. Sophomore forward Hannah Pyle notched her third goal of the year in minute 10.
The Jennies were held to nine shots throughout the game, their second-lowest performance of the season. A normally fluid attack stalled at midfield Sunday.
“Nobody’s moving!” players said from the field.
“It wasn’t our best game,” Thompson said. “It was a little frustrating at times.”
In minute 81, Fort Hays took a free kick after a foul on sophomore defender Abby Rhodes. From 20 feet away, junior Tiger’s defender Mallory Diederich passed right to junior forward Jordan Hester who kicked left, past freshman Central goalkeeper Ana Dilkes.
A natural forward, Rhodes has thrived in her first year at defender for UCM, starting every game and averaging 90 minutes for a Jennies team that has allowed five goals through 10 games. She is also often the lone physical presence on the pitch for the Jens.
“Every team is bigger than us,” said the 5-foot-5 Thompson. “It’s good but it’s bad. We have more speed than most teams, but most teams are bigger than us and more physical. I think they just came out with more intensity.”
Tuesday, Thompson was named MIAA Offensive Player of the Week. She is an important fixture in the UCM midfield, but it’s not unfair to assume the difficulty of the one goal that was taken into account.
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Originally published at muleskinner.net on October 17, 2014.
