The Lady Tigers’ offense is off to a fast start, and freshman Paige Elsenraat is a big reason for it. Elsenraat scored three more goals Monday night in a 6-0 win at Springfield Parkview, giving her five goals in Republic’s first three matches. The Lady Tigers scored three goals in each half to put away the Vikings and improve to 2-1 this season.
Elsenraat got Republic on the board first with 26:38 remaining in the first half, when she scored with the help of an assist by Molly Blades. Blades followed that up less than a minute later with a goal of her own, assisted by Kaylee Cornelsen. Elsenraat’s second goal of the night, assisted by Kendra Phiri, put Republic ahead 3-0 with ten minutes left in the first half.
Cadence Lugar got in on the action in the second half, and Molly Blades picked up her second assist of the night, making it 4-0 with 34:30 remaining in the game. Elsenraat’s third goal — and Blades’s third assist — came with 28:55 remaining to put Republic ahead 5-0. Lugar closed out the scoring with 24:36 remaining, assisted by Ava Brown.
Republic has scored 11 goals in its first three matches. The Lady Tigers didn’t score their 11th goal in 2022 until their ninth match of the year.