The Gilmer Lady Cats continually fired shots during their senior night soccer match against the Trion Bulldogs.
GHS hosted Trion last Tuesday, and the Lady Cats’ offense was momentarily slowed but hardly contained. Gilmer erupted for a six-goal second half, and each was scored by a senior for a commanding 6-0 victory.
The Cats hosted the Lumpkin County Indians three days later to continue region play and lost, 4-0.
Gilmer had 36 shots during the 80 minute contest against Trion. In the first half, only four of Gilmer’s 13 shots were on target and all were saved. Four shots hit either the crossbar or posts as Gilmer could not find the back of the net despite dominating possession and dictating the game’s pace.
The scoreless tie was broken shortly into the second half. Reagan Boling moved from goalkeeper to the left wing, and her speed helped GHS open the field.
“We were able to take Roo (Boling) out of the goal and give her some time on the field,” head coach April Nicholson said. “Having that extra option up top was good for the girls as she can really work the ball around the field.”
GHS was much more precise over the game’s final 40 minutes. Of the Cats’ 23 shots, 15 were on target and nine were saved. Over an 11-minute span GHS scored four goals.
Gilmer senior Naomi Coombs got GHS on the board a minute and a half into the second half with a goal from 10 yards out. She added a second goal right in front of the net two minutes later after receiving a pass from Laura Tercero.
In the half’s eighth minute, senior Ashley Spagnola blasted a shot from 35 yards away. The Bulldog goalkeeper got a hand on the ball but could not keep it from crossing the goal line.
Gilmer took a 4-0 lead four minutes later when Spagnola met a Coombs’ corner kick with her head and put the ball into the back of the net.
Gilmer was committed to press forward over the next 10 minutes and soon it was senior Olivia Lykins’ turn. She scored from 17 yards out for a 5-0 GHS lead with 17:57 to play.
Lykins added her second goal with 3:19 on the clock. She gained possession near the corner and picked her way through the Bulldogs’ defense with minimal pressure. After getting a clear shot, she scored from 12 yards out.
“It was a nice send-off for our seniors,” Nicholson said.
No. 6 ranked Lumpkin was in town Friday and the Indians held GHS scoreless.
“We struggled to defend their passing game out of the midfield, so that is something we will focus on this week so we can be prepared next time,” Nicholson said. “A lot of our players played really well. Boling did a phenomenal job in goal; Amalia Perez went in and did the job we asked her to do very well, Anna Byrd and Spagnola did a great job trying to move the ball up the field.
“Cadence Smith is a stud on defense. Even though the score doesn’t always reflect it, there are a lot of good things happening on the field. We are moving in the right direction.”
Gilmer’s overall record is 2-2.