Girls cruise to easy win

The girls soccer team came out in full force in their first game of the year on Tuesday, September 3 and shut out Crook County 10-0.

Haley Carlson scored a hat trick to lead the Outlaws to their first win of the season.

Sisters started the game with a different formation, which worked well for them.

"We used a 1-3-4-3, which is a keeper, a flat back defense, diamond midfield and three high-attacking forwards," said Coach Audrey Tehan. "We have so many strong defensive players on the team we really needed to get into an attacking mentality, which is exactly what happened. The flat 3 defense pushed our entire team up high into the other team's half."

Emily Corrigan started the scoring frenzy when she volleyed the ball into the side netting at the seven-minute mark off a beautiful cross from Natalie Ambrose.

Ambrose and Carlson both scored off of penalty kicks to give the Outlaws a 3-0 lead. Natalie scored again off an Emily Corrigan assist. It was a beautiful combination play where Ambrose found Corrigan in the center and then ran right past the defense. Corrigan served the ball on a perfect pass back to Ambrose's feet in the box for the goal.

The Outlaws scored three more goals to make it 7-0 at the half. Carlson finished a driven cross that was sent into the box from the right field by Arruda, Arruda scored off a penalty kick, and the final goal came from Dani Rudinsky. Dani scored off a cross sent into the box after a combination play on the left wing by Carlson and Anna Ortega.

Sisters put up three additional goals in the second half with scores from Corrigan, Rudinsky and Carlson.

The Outlaws played aggressivly throughout the entire game and won every 50/50 ball. If a ball was lost to Crook County it was quickly won back through tenacious defense.

Tehan stated, "I was impressed with the level of play the girls kept up the entire game. They played good soccer and brought the ball up the sides through multiple combination plays. No one was selfish with the ball. The entire team moved the ball around and up the field and found pathways to attack."

Tehan was pleased with Arruda, Ambrose and Carlson's play.

"They all shot perfect low shots into the side netting," said Tehan. "They kept their composure and this will be crucial throughout the season in close games."

Tehan also noted Ortega, Michaela Miller, Claire Henson, Molly Boyle and Liz Stewart, who she stated did an amazing job distributing the ball from the back.

The Outlaws are off to a great start and plan to keep working hard. Tehan told The Nugget that the girls will continue to work on attacking the ball, getting numbers around the goal and putting high pressure on opponents in their defensive half.

Sisters will play at home against Redmond on Thursday, September 12, and two days later will travel to Henley.