Freshman scores pair to help Lady Vols win

John Morgan has seventh graders, eighth graders and a freshmen playing significant roles on his Starkville Academy girls soccer team this season.

On Thursday afternoon, the lone freshman of the Lady Volunteers played an important role in a 5-0 victory over Magnolia Heights School.

Riley Dowell scored a pair of goals, one in each half, to show that the young players are continuing to progress nicely for Starkville Academy.

“I think the young people are learning as we go and we are building up because we are more of a younger-based team,” Dowell said.

Morgan said Dowell was “strong right out of the gate” on Thursday and as a freshman, Dowell falls in the middle of the younger and older Lady Vols.

It was the first win of the season for Starkville Academy (1-3) and finally broke through in the scoring column in the fourth match of the season.

After playing Jackson Academy, Lamar School and Pillow Academy in the first three matches of the season, Morgan said his young team was hit with some early challenges.

“Those are all powerhouse schools for these young girls to really dive into the fire,” Morgan said. “Each game we say, ‘here is the objective to work on,' and I think we kind of saw all of that start to coming together which is what you want at this point.

“A win gives you a little more confidence, but it gives girls some experience coming up and puts them in that game scenario. For a seventh and eighth grade girl in a varsity game, it's much faster than what their level is used to, so getting them in there and getting them used to a speed that's much faster is really important.”

The Lady Vols only have two seniors in Meri Laci Archer and Anna Card and three juniors in Erin Lyle, Lauren Bock and Kaitlyn Bock. Kaitlyn Bock scored a pair of goals against Magnolia Heights, while sophomore Anna Claire Heflin had the other score.

Morgan said the sophomores, juniors and seniors have provided valuable leadership for the entire team.

“I think the young girls really look up to the older ones,” Morgan said. “The older ones have taken the banner to say follow me and do what I do. We've all become one big family.”

Starkville Academy will play Magnolia Heights again, this time in Senatobia, next Tuesday.

Dowell believes the Lady Vols should take some confidence into the rematch.

“I think now that we actually have a win under us, we will keep going and keep doing good,” Dowell said.