FAIRMONT — Efficiency in the drizzle.

Midfielders Sami Lenort and Ellie Schultze combined to convert three of Fairmont Area’s first five shots into goals to build the first-half pressure on the dam before reserve forward Anna Utermarck’s hat trick burst the proverbial floodgates during the final 40 minutes Friday night.

Utermarck’s game-best three-goal performance and Lenort’s three-point effort — two goals and an assist — helped the hometown Cardinals bog down the New Ulm Eagles, 9-1, during Big South Conference soccer action at Jeffery Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont.

“Even when we did miss, it wasn’t by much tonight,” said Fairmont Area head coach Matt Nielsen, whose lineup converted 56 percent of its shots on goal. “What a quick start. We scored three goals in less than a 4-minute span, and that even surprised me a little.”

Forward Elayna Anderson created the Cardinals’ first offensive opportunity by driving the right endline before Eagles netkeeper Kendra Nesvold blocked her shot. Anderson alertly collected the carom and spotted Schultze at the point. Schultze displayed her athleticism by managing to scoop the ball off the turf and into the twine while simultaneously losing her footing on the damp natural grass for a 1-0 lead at the 35:47 juncture.

Rayah Quiring initiated a right-wing rush only 2 minutes later before Cardinal teammate Mackenzie Householder blasted a crossing liner that slipped away from Nesvold. Lenort proved to be in the right spot at the right time and tapped home the putback for a 2-0 lead at 33:11.

Only 49 seconds later, Lenort utilized her curling left-footed corner kick to spin her approach around the right pipe and into the webbing for a rare goal and 3-0 margin that carried into intermission.

“I came close against St. Peter last season, but I’ve never scored off a corner kick. I just try to get it close enough for a teammate to head it in or kick it in, but for the newspaper, I’ll tell you that I was trying to score,” a smiling Lenort said with a laugh.

With Fairmont Area goalkeeper Cadence Becker making three stops to pace a first-half shutout, Anderson and Utermarck triggered the Cardinals’ flood of goals during the first 11 minutes of the second half.

Anderson niftly curled her soft riser into the right corner of the net following a scrum near the top of the box for a 4-0 lead at the 31:42 juncture.

Utermarck then headed in an Anna Busche pass from the left endline for her initial goal just 56 seconds later.

But Utermarck was not done as Brooklyn Meyer scorched a direct kick over New Ulm’s defensive wall that Lenort altered toward the twine. Utermarck punched home the ball from the left doorstep for a quick 6-0 lead only 30 seconds later.

Maddie Maakestad then joined the Cardinals’ scoring column by nailing a right-wing grass-hugging skidder into the net with 21:36 remaining in regulation.

Quiring penciled in her name in the goal category by lofting a precision endline floater that nestled into the top right shelf for an 8-0 lead with 18:57 to go. Sadie Voss delivered the pinpoint pass to earn the assist.

Paige Kalis then spoiled Becker’s shutout bid by accelerating by Fairmont Area’s defensive line for a breakaway goal at the 10:34 mark.

Utermarck later completed her first career varsity hat trick by knocking home another shot for the final 9-1 score.

Fairmont Area (2-2-1) travels to New Ulm (3-2) on Tuesday night for Game 2 of the seasonal Big South home-and-away series.

New Ulm 0-1–1

Fairmont 3-6–9

Scoring Plays

1st Half

FA–Ellie Schultze (Elayna Anderson), 35:47.

FA–Sami Lenort (Mackenzie Householder), 33:11.

FA–Sami Lenort corner kick, 32:22.

2nd Half

FA–Elayna Anderson (unassisted), 31:42.

FA–Anna Utermarck (Anna Busche), 30:46.

FA–Anna Utermarck (Sami Lenort), 29:16.

FA–Maddie Maakestad (unassisted), 21:36.

FA–Rayah Quiring (Sadie Voss), 18:57.

NU–Paige Kalis (unassisted), 10:34.

FA–Anna Utermarck (unassisted), 8:42.

Shots on goal: Fairmont Area 7-9–16; New Ulm 3-2–5. Corners: Fairmont Area 13; New Ulm 2.

Saves: Cadence Becker (FA) 4; Kendra Nesvold (NU) 6, Ari Dreyer (NU) 1.

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Alexis Rojo produced a pair of goals to steer Fairmont Area to a 2-1 victory over New Ulm during junior varsity action Friday night in Fairmont.

Rojo converted Jayden Smith’s pass into the Cardinals’ initial goal of the game before netting her second net-finding liner off an assist from Karissa Newville.

Goalkeeper Madi Stromberg made nine saves to garner the win for Fairmont Area.

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Brylee Miller scored two goals and Maia Goerndt distributed two assists to help pace Fairmont Area’s 4-1 victory over Worthington during C-squad action Saturday.

Kaitlyn Hinz and Madison Pluim tallied one goal apiece for the Cardinals, while Bella Schroeder and Grace Kotewa doled out one assist each.

Goalkeeper Morgan Martinson made one save to net the win for Fairmont Area, which generated 16 shots on goal.

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Boys Soccer

Fairmont Area 4, New Ulm 4 (tie) — The Cardinals rallied from both a 2-0 first-half deficit and a 4-2 second-half deficit to salvage a tie with the Eagles during Big South Conference action Friday night in New Ulm.

Trailing 2-0, Joshua Bergt generated the first of his two-goal performance on the strength of a net-finding penalty kick to inch Fairmont Area within one 24:59 into the opening segment.

Bergt then drilled home another goal 28:04 into the first half to knot the score at 2-all.

After battling to a tie by intermission, the hometown Eagles once again built a two-goal lead only to watch the Cardinals erase the advantage.

Isaiah Lebbi converted Lincoln Becker’s assist into the first of his two goals on the night to pare Fairmont Area’s deficit to 4-3 29:20 into the second half.

Lebbi then delivered an unassisted goal to produce a 4-all deadlock 31:08 into the second 40-minute segment.

Netminder Bryant Armitage recorded nine saves to pocket the tie for the Cardinals.

Fairmont Area (0-3-2) plays host to New Ulm (0-3-2) at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Jeffery Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont.

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Douglas Garcia netted three goals and distributed one assist to help power Fairmont Area to a 7-1 triumph over New Ulm during C-squad action Friday night in New Ulm.

Hadan Toomer contributed two goals to the Cardinals’ winning ways, while Nolan Schultze doled out two assists and scored one goal. Brett Williams added a goal for Fairmont Area.

Goalkeeper Ethan Pockrus turned away 12 shots on goal to claim the win for the Cardinals.