Notre Dame figures out way to beat Hightstown
LAWRENCEVILLE » After getting caught offside three times in the first seven minutes, the Notre Dame girls soccer team knew it needed to adjust to the high line Hightstown was playing in order to create chances.
That meant having the patience to hold their runs long enough to beat the offside trap, which is exactly how the Irish got their initial breakthrough.
Morgan Whitlock scored twice in a three-minute span to put Notre Dame in front as it picked a fourth straight victory with a 4-1 win over the Rams on Wednesday afternoon.
“It was something we’ve seen in a couple games before and we kind of had to get used to it in the beginning, we did really well with it,” senior midfielder Carly Smith said. “We have to see those through balls. A lot of times we tried to kick it over and that wasn’t always helping us. You have to when to pass and how hard to pass it.”
Smith scored the Irish’s third goal in the 60th minute and Mikayla Beetel added a fourth eight minutes later as ND (7-2) successfully navigated the high line two more times.
“You can see the speed of their backs and you have to figure out the type of balls that need to be played,” Irish coach Victoria Camera said. “Do we need to find feet on the ground or can we play it through? The weight of the passes is really key and it was the difference between a win and a loss this game.”
Hightstown’s press nearly results in an early lead, but Nicole Rende’s strong left hand denied Rams top scorer Johaira Perez.
That turned out to be a key moment in the match because Whitlock gave the Irish a 1-0 advantage in the 11th minute before doubling it in the 14th when she volleyed home Megan Dee’s cross at the back post.
“Any goalie that can keep a team in the game, the girls on the team should feel like she’s got my back and now we’re really in it,” Camera said. “Having a girl in net that your confident with, makes the field players confident.”
All four Irish goals were from the run of play and they didn’t need to rely on Whitlock’s long throw in to generate chances.
“We can’t always rely on Morgan because sometimes we put her in the back or she’s not always going to be on the field,” Camera said. “We have to learn other ways to score and finish.”
Hightstown (5-3-1) had scored eight times in its last three games and almost cut the deficit in half late in the first half, but Raya Mount’s 19-yard free kick was straight at Rende.
Caitlin McConnell grabbed a late consolation for the Rams with four minutes remaining.
But it’s the Irish starting to build the momentum.
“We’re all getting used to our positions and working together as a team,” Smith said. “We’re getting better each game.”
Hightstown (5-3-1) 0 1 - 1
Notre Dame (7-2) 2 2 - 4
Goals: McConnell (H). Whitlock 2, Smith, Beetel (ND); Assists: Yeager (H). Tash, Dee, Whitlock, Smith (ND); Shots: 10 (H). 17 (ND). Saves: Fox 6 (H); Rende 6 (ND).