Nobles Girls Varsity Soccer defeated Mount Saint Charles 8-0 at Friday Night Lights (FNL).
“You only have [FNL] every two years, so it’s an awesome experience,” forward Francie Ames (Class III) said. “Definitely boosts our season.”
Ames’ boost was manifested in her stellar hat trick in the first half. Her third goal, a header off a cross from forward Ella Frushour (Class III), incited quite the roar from the student section.
“It was a great corner kick,” she said. “Corey Kumin (Class II) managed to get a head on it, and Ella did an awesome job following up on the ball to deliver a great cross. I managed to get a head on it.”
The Dawgs’ young backline finally found its rhythm on Friday, shutting out the opposing squad.
“People are stepping into new positions and have improved so much,” Captain Emily Rowley (Class I) said. “Coach McGuigan has been working closely with the defense. It’s been making a big difference, and she’s been really helpful for them.”
The girls’ two-game win streak comes after a rocky start to the season.
Describing the state of the team prior to their win against Tabor on Tuesday, Rowley said, “We kind of had a stretch where we weren’t doing so well, so we got together and talked as a team. We had a really good practice, and we were really focused the day before.”
As a team, the group worked to reset the culture, altering the trajectory of the season.
“We talked about holding yourself accountable and doing everything you possibly can to help out the team and contributing in whatever role,” Rowley said.
Playing with urgency from start to finish was a challenge for the team early in the season.
After a tough loss against BB&N, Captain Brooke St. John (Class I) said, “We have to want it more. We played really well, but we need to finish our chances and clean up the little things.”
Stepping onto the castle field on Friday, however, the team saw a notable shift in energy.
“The vibes were really high. We sang some songs before we came out, and everyone was singing their hearts out,” St. John said.
Overall, the game highlighted Nobles’ new talent.
“I’m really happy because a lot of younger players were able to score today,” forward Lila Southiere (Class I) said. “We’ve helped them understand that they’re on this team for a reason and they deserve to be here.”
With this newfound motivation, the Dawgs are bound for greatness as they face more challenging opponents down the road.
“We had a few rough games, but now we’re gaining momentum,” Southiere said. “That’s going to transfer over to the next few games, which will probably be more challenging.”
