Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Lady Tigers win
Playing in its fourth match in five days, Bentonville High’s girls soccer team had to dig deep to grab a victory Tuesday against Fayetteville in the 7A-West Conference opener. The Lady Tigers were able to push through their fatigue to get the better of Fayetteville by a 1-0 tally to kick off conference play.
BENTONVILLE HIGH 1, FAYETTEVILLE 0
BENTONVILLE — Exhausted, haggard and weary, the Bentonville High’s Lady Tigers were just plain tired.
After playing their fourth soccer match in five days, the Lady Tigers had to dig deep Tuesday to earn a 1-0 win against Fayetteville to open 7A-West Conference play at the Tiger Soccer Complex.
“Whenever we play Fayetteville, it’s always one of the key match-ups of the year,” Bentonville coach Kris Henry said. “It feels good to come away with that first conference win.”
The Lady Tigers (6-1-1, 1-0 7A West) earned the victory when Ginger Olson rebounded a Madison Howard corner kick for the score in the 51st minute. Fayetteville keeper Haley Woodward deflected Howard’s attempt, which careened off Olson’s body for the score.
“We try to get numbers in the box (on corner kicks) and hope somebody gets on the end of it,” Henry said. “She did her job. It was a great service in by Madison.”
Fayetteville coach Joe Thoma called the score a “squeaky goal.”
“That’s soccer. Sometimes you give up a goal like that,” he said.
Howard had opportunities to increase Bentonville’s lead late in the second half. In the 70th minute, she blasted a penalty kick to the right-center portion of the goal, but a diving save by Woodward prevented the score. Then, about two minutes later Howard dribbled through a duo of Lady Bulldog defenders only to rocket a shot over the crossbar.
Both teams return to conference play Thursday. Fayetteville will host Bentonville West, while Bentonville travels to Van Buren.