The Lady Tigers ratcheted up the pressure in the second half Thursday night, pulling away from Carl Junction for a 5-0 victory on the road. Clara Fronabarger had a part in all five goals, assisting on two and scoring the other three.
Anna Jones put Republic on top in the ninth minute with the only goal of the first half. Playing into a stiff wind, Jones got free 30 yards from the goal and booted the ball dead center, just under the crossbar and out of reach of the Carl Junction keeper.
With the wind at their backs in the second half, Republic thoroughly controlled the pace, barely giving up possession in the final 40 minutes. Fronabarger scored in the 42nd minute, then again just a minute later, to put Republic in control 3-0. The goals were nearly identical, both from the right side at the top of the box, fired across her body and into the left corner of the net.
It took a while for the Lady Tigers to score again, but not for lack of chances. Most of the Republic lineup had at least one good look from inside the 20. Signe Wulff had two near-misses that would have built the lead even more.
Fronabarger finally scored again to make it for 4-0, and she assisted on the final goal of the night, sliding the ball to Emma Pearce, who tucked it home.
Coach Kevin Hauck says his team was more physical than it had been over the past couple of weeks, including in a 2-1 loss at Branson Tuesday.
“It was kind of nice to get to where I thought we were at mid-season. I thought we were playing really physical early on in the season, but in the last couple games we weren’t as physical, so it was nice to come out tonight and be more physical and see that from the girls,” Hauck says.
Republic possessed the ball well in the first half, despite playing into the strong wind. In the second half, Carl Junction didn’t cope with the wind in its face as well — and Hauck says that’s partly because of Republic’s pressure, and partly because of Republic’s ability to attack from outside the box.
“I thought our pressure really picked up in the second half. I thought we did a nice job of that,” he says. “In the second half, we were connecting on passes, and I thought that really helped us going against the wind,” he says. “Clara hit some good shots outside. Being able to have her and Anna and Sarah (Hicks) and Emma (Pearce) and Madi (Mitchell) up top, that can be dangerous from anywhere outside the box, is always helpful.”
Republic’s record is 11-6. The Lady Tigers will be back in action against Webb City next week as the enter the final week of the regular season.
Republic’s JV Lady Tigers also won, 6-0. Find out how you can get $25 worth of free photos as a subscriber to Republic Tiger Sports magazine. Sign up now, before this offer runs out!
Farr Better Player of the Game
Anytime the Lady Tigers scored Thursday night at Carl Junction, Clara Fronbarger had something to do with it. Fronabarger assisted on the first goal of the night by Anna Jones. Then she scored three of her own. Then she capped off the night with another assist to Emma Pearce. Her three-goal, two-assist night makes her the Farr Better Player of the Game.
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