×

Cardinals’ balanced soccer effort triggers rout over Trojans

BLASTED PASS — Fairmont Area midfielder Mackenzie Householder drills a pass past an unidentified Worthington player during Big South Conference soccer action Tuesday night at Kot Soccer Complex in Fairmont. The Cardinals’ Ellie Schultze (red 8) and the Trojans’ Pamela Lomeli Ibarra (white 8) watch the action. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Strikers Rayah Quiring, Anna Utermarck, Sami Lenort and the rest of the Fairmont Area soccer team heeded Cardinal head coach Matt Nielsen’s motivational words at intermission Tuesday night.

Quiring and Utermarck generated goals within 2 minutes of each other to double Fairmont Area’s lead to 4-0 only 3 1/2 minutes into the second half of a Big South Conference clash with the Worthington Trojans at Kot Soccer Complex.

Quiring and Utermarck netted two goals and one helper apiece, while Lenort and Kate Busche contributed one goal and one assist each to pace the Cardinals’ 8-1 landslide victory over the Trojans in Fairmont.

“We (coaching staff) challenged them to score three goals during the first 10 minutes of the second half. We got five during that time span,” said Nielsen, whose lineup outshot Worthington, 15-0, in the first 40 minutes but held only a 2-0 lead by the break.

The Cardinals proved efficient during the initial 5 1/2 minutes of the game as Mackenzie Householder lofted home an unassisted goal at the 35:42 juncture before Quiring directed a header into the twine off Carissa Saxton’s curling direct kick only 1:14 later.

“That was one of two absolutely perfect goals on the night,” Nielsen said in reference to the 6-foot Quiring timing her vertical jump in synchronization with Saxton’s pinpoint 30-yard delivery at the 34:38 mark.

Quiring then bridged intermission by needing only 1:30 into the second period to drill home a right-side doorstep blast after corraling a ricocheting ball for a three-goal lead.

“The pass from Kate (Busche) to Anna (Utermarck) was a thing of beauty — a game-changing play,” said Nielsen, whose lineup found the netting five times out of its first eight shots on goal to open the second half.

Kate Busche worked the right endline and connected for a long crossing pass that Utermarck corraled in mid-air without letting it hit the ground and buried her shot in the net with one fluid motion.

Kate Busche then lined a low-tapper inside the right pipe off Lenort’s precision crossing pass from the left wing for a 5-0 margin at the 33:17 juncture of the second half.

Utermarck and Quiring then combined for the Cardinals’ sixth goal with 31:52 remaining in regulation. Quiring displayed her strong leg with a lofted crossing pass to Utermarck, who laced home her second goal of the game.

Lenort then extended Fairmont Area’s advantage to 7-0 by uncorking a left-wing sizzler that swayed the twine at the 30:11 mark. Utermarck notched an assist on the play.

Alysen Lindquist capped the Cardinals’ point production by nailing a shot inside the left post off an Allison Janssen assist with 17:26 remaining in the game.

Sara Esquivel was credited with the Trojans’ goal at the 13:42 mark to spoil the Cardinals’ shutout bid. Emily Soto got the assist on the play.

Cadee Becker did not face a Worthington shot-on-goal in the opening half for Fairmont Area, while Madi Stromberg turned away 1 of 2 shots in the final 40 minutes.

Worthington netminder Chantel Peralta amassed a game-high 26 saves between the pipes.

Worthington 0-1–1

Fairmont Area 2-6–8

Isabella Schroeder netted a goal and an assist, while goalkeeper Madi Stromberg made seven saves to pitch a shutout in Fairmont Area’s 5-0 victory over Worthington in junior varsity action Tuesday in Fairmont.

Karissa Newville, Alex Martin, Elsa Thompson and Alysen Lindquist each produced goals for the Cardinals, while Charli Clow and Jayden Smith contributed one assist each.

Mollie Leiding erupted for a hat trick, while Abbie Simpson generated one goal and two assists to steer Fairmont Area to an 8-0 triumph over Worthington during C-squad action Tuesday night.

Annie Reyelts, Grace Kotewa, Frankie Martin and Kate Hagen contributed one goal apiece to the Cardinals’ winning ways, while Emma Pockrus doled out an assist.

Netminder Addie Folkerts notched three saves to earn the shutout for Fairmont Area.

Boys Soccer

Worthington 4, Fairmont Area 0 — The Trojans netted one goal in the first half and added three more in the second segment to end the Cardinals’ six-game unbeaten streak on Tuesday night in Worthington.

Worthington utilized an 8-0 edge in corner kicks to produce a 16-6 advantage in shots-on-goal on the night.

Matthew Kotewa, Prince Lebbi and Eli Broomfield accounted for the majority of Fairmont Area’s shot on net.

Berny Esquivel Rosales halted 11 of 15 shots on goal for the Cardinals, while Aaron Graplar swept away a Trojans’ shot.

Fairmont Area (4-2-2) plays host to St. Peter at 7 p.m. Thursday night at Kot Soccer Complex.

Worthington zipped Fairmont Area, 15-0, during junior varsity action Tuesday night in Worthington.

Matthew Malo stopped 2 of 6 shots for the Cardinals, while Jonathan Heinze turned away 3 of 14 opposing kicks.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.65/week.

Subscribe Today