For The Tribune
Providence’s girls soccer team took advantage of Trinity Lutheran missing three starters to beat the Cougars 9-0 on the their home grass Monday afternoon.
Trinity was without three regulars who were at a volleyball match, and two other Cougars were out with injuries.
“Playing without those players makes a difference,” Cougars coach Jeff Nolting said. “On a full team we can put nine really competitive players out there. We had three players tonight that had never played in a soccer game, and that makes a big difference.
“Providence is always good in soccer. They’ve got 42 players. We have 13 and three volleyballers. We’ve got some girls that can score, (Chloe) Criswell comes in, and (Savanna) Setty and Sidney (Hoene’s) on the field, and you put Emma Goecker in her spot, and Flossie Cooper, and Lucy Cooper: Those girls can help us. They’re going to make some plays.”
The Pioneers scored a goal in the first 43 seconds of the match and led 3-0 before the Cougars advanced the ball toward the goal and attempted their first shot from the side, with ball hitting the side of the net at 20:42.
The score was 6-0 before the Providence goalie was forced to make her first save on an attack by Setty with 5:06 left in the first half.
The Pioneers held a 6-0 lead at the half and scored two goals in the first three minutes of the second half and their final goal with 28:24 on the clock.
The Pioneers had 17 shots in the first half and 26 for the game, while the Cougars attempted five shots for the match.
“I’m really proud of Genesis (Munoz),” Nolting said. “She is a freshman who had never played soccer before. We had her in goal. Softball is her primary sport. She has good hand-eye coordination, as you can tell tonight with her (24) saves.
“Obviously, they’re going to be learning every game. They’re going to be continue to learn at every practice. There is athleticism to soccer, and it’s just a matter of everybody getting in shape.”
He said his team needs to work hard in practice.
“There is some small things you can work on like checking to the ball, being aggressive,” Nolting said. “Some of them have to understand the game and learn what their roles are. They recognize what Providence does well.
“They recognized how they stayed in shape, how they made good passes, stuff we’ve been working on, and then when they see another team do it in game situation it starts to click.”
The Cougars (0-1) will travel to Indianapolis Herron Friday and to Rising Sun on Saturday.