Wolverine soccer came out on bottom Wednesday, May 16 in what they had expected to be a tough match against South Iredell to advance in the 2A soccer state playoffs.
Polk County lost 3-1 to the Lady Vikings.
“After the fact, you always look back and realize what you could have done differently,” said PCHS Coach Lennox Charles. “I think we went in a little too intimidated and gave them a little too much respect when we started.”
Charles and his Lady Wolverines faced exactly what they were afraid of going into the game – an early South Iredell score.
The Viking’s Ashlynn Pierce sailed in the team’s first goal within the first three minutes of play.
“We came out on our heels and weren’t real aggressive,” Charles said. “Brea [goalkeeper Brea Hamby] got her hands on it but she couldn’t keep it out.”
Ellese Cash, however, worked to keep Polk in the game answering in around the 15th minute with a goal of her own, Charles said. Polk held South Iredell 1-1 at halftime but Cash’s goal would be the only score for the Wolverines. The Vikings went on to grab two more goals – one two minutes in the second half and a third about five minutes later.
Charles said the Wolverines worked really hard and started regrouping. He said Polk had a couple of chances with the Vikings’ keeper making one really good save off Cash near the end.
“The last 20 minutes of the game I really felt we played the better game,” Charles said. “Realistically, we really could have won the game. But if you are not focused all the time your opponent really will find the advantage and they did. At the end we definitely created some opportunities. We were dangerous, but we just couldn’t quite get that goal.”
Hamby did her best to keep the Vikings out of the net defensively with a total seven saves.
“We definitely improved and we definitely finished the season playing well,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have enough girls coming back with the experience of playing these games to make it one more round and get further in the finals.”
Seven seniors will graduate this year, but Charles said that leaves about 12 to push further next year.