Girls Soccer Team Beats Ottumwa

  The Chariton girls' soccer team took to the road for two games within the week of 4/15 and 4/22.  They went 1-1 with a 4-0 loss to Oskaloosa and an exciting 2-1 win over Ottumwa.

  Chariton traveled first to Oskaloosa to take on the Indians.  The Lady Chargers gave up an early goal just eight minutes into the game, but battled hard through the rest of the first half to head into the intermission down by one.

  The game was eventually decided with a two-minute span midway through the second half when Oskaloosa scored two goals in that span.  They added one more goal with seven minutes left in the game to hand Chariton a 4-0 loss.  Coach St. Lawrence commented, "I told the girls that our attitude should be 'Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn' and this was a good learning experience.  The girls let themselves get down after the second goal and quickly found out how costly that can be.  I was pleased with the effort they extended in the last five minutes of the game, even though the result was determined."

  Tuesday the Lady Chargers traveled to Ottumwa.  Just seven minutes into the contest, Chariton goal-keeper Bayley Morris made a save and had a good punt down the left side.  Sophomore midfielder Deni St. Lawrence gathered the ball, beat a defender and dribbled it down to the end line where she crossed it in front of the goal where senior forward Kourtney Nichols was waiting to pound it in the goal.  Chariton had several other chances to score in the first half, but couldn't finish and took a 1-0 lead into halftime.

  Ottumwa evened the score in the .55th minute when forward Daylin Latham sent a powerful shot just inside the right post.  The score remained tied until just under six minutes remained when Nichols received the ball on the right side, dribbled across the middle and hit a shot that not only went in the goal, but found its way through a  hole in the back of the net and led to a delayed goal celebration.  Nichols second goal of the night and fourth of the season proved to be the game winner, as the Chargers held on for the 2-1 win, bringing their record to 2-1 for the season.

  Coach St. Lawrence was pleased with the effort of the girls, "I was really happy with the way the girls responded when Ottumwa scored, they learned from the Oskaloosa game and didn't allow themselves to get down.  Our defense of Jayme Pierschbacher, Triston Decker, Lindsay Black, Starr Covington, Sam Banks and Mackenzie Krutsinger really played well together.  Bayley Morris also did a good job in the goal having 10 saves on the night.  This was a total team effort and that is good to see this early in the season."