The Lady Tigers soccer team broke a six-game scoreless streak Monday night, and they did it just the way you might have expected. Emily Jordan, returning from injury to play her first game in nearly a month, curled a corner kick into the goal around the 23rd minute of the first half, propelling Republic to a 5-0 win at home over Greenwood. Jordan ended her night with three goals, including one that was credited to her when a Greenwood player headed the ball into the back of the net on another corner kick.
Anna Jones and Lauryl Hyde also scored for the Lady Tigers, who picked up their first win since a game at Carthage 20 days ago. Republic led 1-0 at halftime, but coach Kevin Hauck says he doesn’t think the team really loosened up until they took a 2-0 lead on the Greenwood own-goal around the midway point of the second half.
“It’s always hard to find that first goal. It’s harder to find the second,” he says. “Then, once you find the second goal, that’s when you feel more comfortable, you begin to play, you get your confidence up.”
Hauck says Jones, who scored just a minute after the own-goal, seemed to play much better with Jordan back on the field.
“(She) seemed to play with so much more confidence in the midfield tonight, with EJ back,” Hauck says. “She and EJ play so well together, and it’s nice to have that combination. Their experience allows our other forwards to be more comfortable, because they talk so well to them about what they need to be doing.”
Jordan says it’s been hard to watch the team struggle without being able to help, so she was glad to be back on the field and contribute in whatever way she could. More than scoring, her favorite part of the night was “just any part of being on the field, but most importantly, it’s getting to play with my teammates. It’s really hard watch, so it’s great to be out there and to be able to connect, not only the passes, but also to grow relationships.”
Jordan believes ending the scoring drought, which had lasted nearly 500 minutes, is a big step for the team going forward.
“I think it feels pretty good. It was several games with no scoring, and that puts a bad vibe on the team, and doubts that shouldn’t have been there,” she says.
Hyde, who moved to forward for the first time this season, scored a goal on a deflection off a corner kick in the second half. She also says breaking the scoreless string was a big weight off the team.
“It was really refreshing. I was getting so disheartened, along with the rest of the defense and everyone on the team,” she says. “Game after game, when you’re not scoring and you’re having to hold them, it’s mentally exhausting. Having EJ back, that was great. We all just missed her.”
About her move to forward from her usual role on the defense, Hyde says “It was exhausting. Defense is tiring, but it’s consistent. You just sprint and sprint and sprint and sprint when you’re up there, and you have to make runs, and when you get the ball, you have to be able to run with the ball fast. It was definitely a change of pace.”
Jones says Jordan’s return not only helped her, but the rest of the team as well.
“We all feel better having her back. She obviously helps us a lot on the field, and we feel more confident with her because … she’s EJ,” Jones says. “I feel like we loosened up after we got those first goals. The level of confidence goes up and there’s so much more willpower. It feels good to finally get a win after that losing streak.”
Republic will try to make it two in a row when the Lady Tigers travel to Willard Tuesday night.
Farr Better Player of the Game
Emily Jordan didn’t take long to get back in the swing of things. Jordan scored midway through the first half to get the Lady Tigers rolling, scored one more goal in the second half, and was credited for a third when Greenwood deflected her corner kick into the goal. Not only that, coach Kevin Hauck says Jordan made everyone around her a little better, as well, helping Republic end its losing streak and earning the title of Farr Better Player of the Game.
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