Wildcats Whip Timberwolves in Soccer

The University School girls’ soccer team continued its winning streak by beating Living Word Lutheran 4-0 in a Midwest Classic Conference contest Monday at Living Word Lutheran in Jackson.

The Wildcats dominated the first half, and using precise passing and impenetrable defense they kept the ball in the Timberwolves’ end throughout the half.  Their team efforts soon led to goals.

The first came at 4:14.  Deep in the Living Word Lutheran zone, USM senior Elena Noyes made an accurate throw-in to the foot of junior Jenna Seter.  Seter spun and made a quick strike, blasting the ball past Living Word Lutheran’s junior goalie Anita Vertes.

USM scored again less than two minutes later.  Junior midfielder Erika Hurth ran the ball down the right sideline and made a quick crossing pass to Noyes on the left side.  Noyes knocked the ball into the center to freshman Amber Baker who one-timed it into the net at 6:11.

USM made it 3-0 at 15:25. Junior Sally James intercepted a Timberwolves clear near midfield.  Like an eagle, James opportunistically spotted an opening.  She shuttled the ball around several defenders and moved into the Living Word Lutheran penalty area. Shifting to the right to draw the goalie, James fired a low liner to the left side for the score.

USM’s top gun, senior Paige Costakos, scored the Wildcats’ final goal less than a minute later when she intercepted a pass inside the Living Word Lutheran 18-yard line, turned and lofted a shot over Vertes’ head at 16:00.

The Timberwolves did not get a shot in the first half but they had three in the second half.  USM's sophomore goalie Emily Wigdale handled two of them easily, and as cool as a Canadian snowstorm, James, who replaced Wigdale, stopped a point blank shot in the 70^th minute to preserve USM’s shutout.

Living Word Lutheran is now 1-5 in the conference.  USM is 10-5 overall and 6-1 in the conference. USM plays a non-conference game at home against Kenosha Christian Life at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday.