Republic dominated Parkview in an 8-0 rout at home Friday night, improving to 3-0 on the season.
The Lady Tigers reached the three-win mark in just their third match this year, a contrast with last season, when they didn’t pick up their third victory until April 13 in their tenth match. Republic has also scored 14 goals in three matches, a total that took them nine games to reach in 2023.
Republic held onto the ball most of the night, and Parkview didn’t possess the ball in its forward half of the field until the second half — and even then, only for a few seconds.
Molly Blades opened the scoring, putting Republic up 1-0 with 31:22 left in the first half. She dribbled from the left sideline toward the hash mark, pulled up, and fired a cross-goal shot that tucked into the right side of the net.
Cadence Lugar added a second goal off an assist from Blades, knocking in a shot from the top of the goal box that scooted between the legs of Parkview goalkeeper Maddie Sutterfield to make it 2-0.
Paige Elsenraat stretched the lead to 3-0 late in the half, with Kendra Phiri getting the assist on a cross from the right side. Lugar then netted her second goal of the night, assisted by Phiri again, giving Republic a 4-0 advantage at halftime.
The second half brought more of the same. Phiri scored on a booming shot from 20-plus yards away off a Kaylee Cornelsen assist to make it 5-0 with 33:57 on the clock.
After an injury sidelined Parkview goalkeeper Sutterfield, Republic quickly finished off the Lady Vikings. Lugar completed her hat trick off a deflection for a 6-0 lead. Phiri found the net again, with Blades assisting, putting Republic up 7-0.
Mati Carpenter capped the scoring with 16:25 to play, ending the game early.
The Lady Tigers are 3-0 for the first time since 2015. They’ll take their perfect record into a big early-season test at Springfield Glendale Tuesday. The outcome will have implications for district seeding later this year. It will be Glendale’s first match of the year.