Third-year Pillow Academy soccer coach Amy Coleman has complained recently to her team about a lack of closing out goals and getting off to slow starts.
That was not the case Thursday night.
The Lady Mustangs scored early and often at home versus AAAA Division II rival Hartfield Academy, destroying the visitors 7-0 in a blitzkrieg effort at Chazzy Moor Field.
“The girls wanted a little revenge after that loss at the start of the season,” Coleman said of a 3-0 Hartfield victory in the season opener. “They finally put it all together and played a complete game.”
After a few scoring chances were missed early on, Coleman moved her daughter Claire Coleman from left forward to mid forward. Coleman responded with two goals in the box within one minute of each other, one assisted by Sara Presley Howard and another off a nice pass from Caroline Brock.With 23 minutes left in the first half, Pillow had a shockingly quick 2-0 lead.
With 10 minutes left in the half, Pillow added to its lead when Georgia Caroline Self took a beautiful cross from the left foot of Elizabeth Powers and scored for a 3-0 lead.
The PA onslaught continued in the second half. At the 35-minute mark, Brock launched a shot from 18 yards out that curved inside the left post to make the score 4-0. Coach Coleman gave credit to her move of Brock to the midfield as a component of the team’s sudden prowess on the offensive side of the field.
“Looks like Caroline has found her new position in the middle,” said the PA coach.
Brock previously had been playing on the defensive line, but the return of Holly Whitfield to the defensive rotation allowed Coleman to make the move.
Sara Presley Howard scored seven minutes later on a laser shot that caught the back of the net to give Pillow a 5-0 lead. Hartfield was no match for the defensive line of Kayley Hardin, Madeline Kelly, Mia Cole, Whitfield and Julia Love Lyon.
Goalkeeper Jane Rob Pannell picked up her sixth shutout of the season — only having to defend two shots.
Georgia Caroline Self was able to give the Lady Mustangs a 6-0 lead when she took a shot off a rebounded shot by Coleman. Then 45 seconds later, Isabella Vasquez scored Pillow’s final goal off another rebound, making it 7-0.
For the contest, Pillow outshot Hartfield 12-2. Pillow had four corner kicks to Hartfield’s one.
Hartfield entered the contest at 8-3, including wins over traditional powerhouses Lamar School and Madison-Ridgeland Academy.
The Lady Mustangs (7-3) look to clinch the top seed in Academy AAAA Division II North and a bye in the playoffs with a win at Magnolia Heights next Tuesday.
If Pillow wins that contest, it will face either Hartfield or Lamar at home on Oct. 4 in the State AAAA Division II semifinals.
On Wednesday, Pillow won a hard-fought 2-0 battle with rival Washington School.
Coleman scored the first goal.
Pillow was finally able to put the game away with a pretty cross from freshman Sara Presley Howard to her younger sister Avery Howard for a goal with 18 minutes left.
