Lions top Cardinals in girls soccer showdown

Ivy Hogg scored four goals and led the Clear Lake girls soccer team to a 9-0 victory over Garner-Hayfield/Ventura Tuesday, April 16.  The win kept the Lions undefeated at 3-0.

“We started the match tentative against a young G-H/V  girls team,” said Lions Coach Lothar Meyer.   “After halftime Ivy  and Megan (Kopriva) sort of scored anytime they were in the box in front of the goal.”

Kopriva finished with a pair of goals.  Abby Woiwod, Bailey Kibsgaard and Logan Anderson each added one score.

Anderson also helped the cause with three assists.  Teammate Hannah Bartlett also had three assists.

The Lions scored their first goal at the 26:45 mark and led just 3-0 at the end of the first half.  But the second half was all Lions.  They scored the first of six second half goals at 37:33.  

Coach Meyer said he was impressed by freshman Erin O’Tool’s effort.  O’Tool effectively supported sweepers Madison Faber and Summer Tannahill by placing the ball forward to the mid-fielders, he said.  “With Hannah Bartlett always in the mix, assisting and driving the ball forward, the forwards gain goal shots.”

Goal keeper Riley Brinkman successfully defended six shots at goal made by the Cardinals.  Meanwhile, the Lions took 23 shots at G-H/V’s net, defended by Samantha Betz and Emily Brown during the match.  Betz had 16 saves, while Brown collected seven.

Cardinals Coach Josh Banse said playing good teams like Clear Lake can only help his young program.

“Clear Lake is a very good team.  For us to be a successful program we need to go through games like that,” said Banse.  “Hats off to Clear Lake.  They are a team that I, as a coach, try to model a program off of.  We play them two more times this season before tournament time.  The only thing we can do is improve.”

The coach credited the play of center mid-fielders Mackenzie Haag and Jesslyn Prohaska and noted the Cards will miss Tiara VanGerpen, who went out after the first half of play with an injury.  She will be out for two to three weeks to heal, he said. 

Although pleased with his team’s quick start, Coach Meyer said the Lions forwards must continue to improve their skills as they begin to meet teams which have more matches under their belts and have been able to avoid the weather postponements which have plagued North Iowa teams.