In 21 matches last season, Republic only scored three goals five times. They’ve already done it once this season, after a convincing 3-1 win over Rolla to open the season at home Monday. Claire Redman, Molly Blades, and Kendra Phiri each scored for the Lady Tigers, who led 3-0 before a late penalty kick by Rolla put the Bulldogs on the board.
“We talked about crashing the goal, and that’s our objective this season,” said coach Jesus Zuniga. “I think we had two back-post goals and should have maybe had two others. The opportunities were there, so I think that’s a very promising sign.”
Redman, a newcomer to the roster, scored her first goal as a Lady Tiger just nine minutes into the season. Blades fed Redman from the middle of the field to the right side of the box, and Redman shot it past the Rolla goalkeeper to make the score 1-0.
Blades got her first goal of the season about 23 minutes later. With 7:45 left in the first half, the Rolla goalkeeper came off her line after an entry pass by Redman. Paige Elsenraat got a foot on the ball, deflecting it off the goalkeeper toward the front of the goal, where Blades was waiting to finish off the play. That gave Republic a 2-0 lead.
The Lady Tigers mostly controlled the pace of play throughout the first half and into the second, finding gaps in the Rolla defense with effective passing and occasional long runs. One of those runs in the second half led to Republic’s third goal. Blades brought the ball up the right sideline from around midfield, beat a couple of defenders and crossed the ball into the middle. Elsenraat found the pass and directed it left across the top of the box to Kendra Phiri, who booted it in with her left foot to make the score 3-0.
With about seven and a half minutes left, Rolla scored its only goal on a penalty kick. Republic goalkeeper Awbree Berning got a hand on the shot, but it tipped off her fingers and into the goal to account for the final score of 3-1.
Zuniga credited his players for understanding what they needed to do as the match unfolded. “The girls figured out our strengths and their weaknesses, and they took advantage of it,” he said.
Republic improves to 1-0.