Lady Cougars Earn Victory
The Piedmont Academy varsity girls soccer team played perhaps its best game of the season and defeated Westfield 4-3 last week.
The Lady Cougars led 4-1 at one point in the home contest despite a late rally attempt by the Lady Hornets.
“This was, by far, the best the girls have looked all year,” said coach Michael Wilson. “We were in total control but let up mentally and it almost cost us. Closing out games is never easy and when a team isn’t used to it, the task can be difficult. Hopefully, when we are in this situation again, we will do a bit better in that department.”
Caitlyn Young played a key role in the win for Piedmont.
“She was fantastic,” her coach said. “When she’s on her game we are a totally different team. She can flip the field with her ability to send the ball 40-50 yards downfield and she can score from anywhere in our offensive half. Her first goal was from 35 yards out and her second was from 25 yards. The opponent can never let up against her.”
Young also makes an impact on the defensive end of the field.
“She can keep the opponent’s best player in check,” Wilson said. “I can’t say enough about the game she played.”
The Lady Cougars took a 1-0 lead after Sydney Davis found Taylor Patterson open inside the box.
“Taylor did a really good job of making sure she finished the opportunity,” Wilson said. “Those two work well together along with Emily Mills and are able to create some pressure when they keep it simple and make short and quick passes to each other in space. It’s something we’ve been stressing and when they commit to it all of them are able to get opportunities on goal.”
Davis added another goal for Piedmont.
Defensively, the team did a great job, the coach said, for the first 70 minutes of the contest. Morgan Whitley, Maddie Mooneyham, Gracie Black, Sydney Stroud, Cally Cook, Alexis Dodson and Haley Ann Frank all saw time on the back line and each made a difference and took pressure off Anne Marie Hildebrant in goal.
“The depth of the defense will definitely help us moving forward and in the future,” Wilson said.
The varsity boys fell 11-2 to Westfield with Ezra King and Trent Coots both scoring goals.
“We struggled adjusting to their speed on defense,” Wilson said. “We need to adjust and recognize what the opponent is doing a little better moving forward this season. We played well in spots but had trouble sustaining the level and would give up three or four goals in very short periods of time and then would play well for a 10-15 minute burst.”
The coach said it’s a process to build and that it will simply take time.
“The players and I just need to keep our heads up and keep working,” Wilson said.
Piedmont’s varsity soccer teams traveled to Augusta on Monday to face Westminster.The Lady Cougars fell 3-1 with Young scoring the team’s lone goal on a direct kick from 30 yards out 10 minutes into the contest.
Young’s goal gave Piedmont a 1-0 lead but Westminster tied the score about six minutes into the second half and then took the lead with approximately 15 minutes to play. The final goal came with nine minutes remaining.
Anne Marie Hildebrandt played another solid game in goal and continues to be a difference maker for the Lady Cougars, her coach said.
“I thought our entire defensive rotation of Mallory Boyd, Morgan Whitley, Cally Cook, Alexis Dodson, Sydney Stroud and Maddie Mooneyham played great all night,” the coach said. “Without their effort we couldnt have held it that close.
We fought hard all night against a team that plays together year around outside of school.”
The effort by the varsity Lady Cougars was praised by their coach.
“It proves we can compete with practically any team we face but in order for us to do that we have to play hard and win play together all game,” Wilson said. “We need to improve in possessing the ball and making the right passes at the right time but they are improving each game.”
The varsity boys lost 12-0 to Westminster but the Cougars were playing perhaps the best team they will face all spring.
“Westminster is the best team in any sport any team at Piedmont will play this year,” Wilson said. “They are on a different level than any team we will see. They can compete with and beat AAAAAAA public school teams. However, everyone on our team played hard and listened to us and they want to improve. I’m not discouraged and we are going to move forward from this game. It’s a tough road ahead but over time I think we can get the players in the right places for them to be successful.