LEWISBURG — It’s been a perfect start to the season for Tri-County North’s girls’ soccer team after two weeks.
The Panthers picked up two more wins last week, beating Yellow Springs, 13-0, and Franklin-Monroe, 9-1, to improve to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in the Cross County Conference.
On Monday, Aug. 28, Tri-County North hosted Yellow Springs in a non-league game.
North got off to a slow start, making it to the goal a couple of times but unable not able to connect on the final pass that would allow them an easy scoring chance.
“We had several shots early, they were more wing and a prayer shots, not necessarily the shots we are looking for inside the framework of our offense,” North coach Ted Thies said.
That all changed fifteen minutes in to the contest. A nice pass from Preston Lipinski lead to an easy scoring chance for Megan Hemp and she buried one in the back of the net for the first of three first half goals.
“Once Megan scored I could see the team loosen up a little, which always results in better play,” coach Thies said.
Hailey Thies added a solo shot in the first half to give the Panthers a 4-0 lead.
North wasted no time getting back to scoring with a trio of goals scored in the first five minutes of play in the second half, one each by Hemp, Liv Baldasare, and Taylor Green. Hailey Thies backed those up with two of her own off passes from Hemp and Baldasare.
North added four more goals for the final margin.
“I thought our defense played really well tonight. I think we only gave them two or three shots all night,” Ted Thies said. “Hailey Stupp and Brooke Maleski and Lani Baldasare always do a fine job protecting Morgan in the goal.”
On Thursday, North hosted Franklin-Monroe for its CCC opener.
TCN started the scoring early as Hailey Thies drove to the right corner and fired a cross to the top of the six-yard line and Hemp headed it past FM’s goalie for the first goal of the game.
The second goal came a few minutes later as senior utility player Andrea Combs ran into a pass from Haley Thies and buried one in the back of the net.
Hailey Thies and Hemp followed that up with goals of their own as Thies scored on a free kick from just outside the eighteen-yard line and Hemp knocked one in on a nice through ball from Thies for a 4-0 lead.
Preston Lipinski split two players, drove to the goal and scored to make it 5-0. A few minutes later she found herself on the end of a nice feed from Liv Baldasare and converted for her second goal of the half and a 6-0 North halftime lead.
In the second half, sophomore Emily Norris found the back of the net to make it 7-0.
North then conceded their first goal of the game.
“It was good to get our subs into the game,” coach Thies said. “Sophomore Mikey Manning is continuing to grow as a player (and) Emelia Warnecke played well and continues to make the proper pass. We need to work on her aggression but that will come with time.”
Hailey Thies rounded out the second half scoring with two solo shots.
Coach Thies said his team is continuing to grow.
“I thought our midfield played really well tonight,” he said. “Their first touch was really good and their passes were timely and direct. Taylor Green, Lexi Frantz and Patience Getter did a really nice job of stopping FM’s attack and pushing the ball forward. The few times they didn’t, Lani Baldasare, Brooke Maleski, and Hailey Stupp were there to back them up and make sure goalie Morgan Helman had a trouble free night. Morgan made some good stops of her own. That stop she made on the penalty kick was excellent. I’ll take Morgan on game day any day. She’s a gamer. She’s made some big stops for us over the years and more often than not makes goalkeeping look easy.”
The Panthers were scheduled to play at Greenon on Tuesday, Sept. 5. They will visit rival Twin Valley South on Thursday, Sept. 7.
North’s contest with The Miami Valley School, which was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9, has been postponed due to the ACT test being given that day.
