Photo by Adam Vogler
Emporia High’s Bailey Sosa, right, goes up against Salina South’s Veronica Guzman for a header during Monday’s game at TRYSA. EHS won, 3-0.
Emporia High goalkeeper Melanie Nuessen doesn’t mind a boring game every now and then.
A boring game for her just means her teammates are taking care of business at the other end of the field.
Monday night’s contest against Salina South in the opening round of Regional play was one of those games, as the Emporia High girls soccer team defeated the Lady Cougars, 3-0, to advance to the second round against McPherson tonight.
Salina South only attempted one shot all game, making it a fairly easy night for Nuessen.
“The most important part is I have to keep my head in the game,” Nuessen said. “I can’t take any game off, obviously, but I like these games because they’re really relaxing to me.”
The Lady Spartans dominated South thanks to an overwhelming defense that never allowed the Lady Cougars to mount a threat, meanwhile controlling the game’s tempo with a possession offense that made the most of its opportunities.
Emporia out-shot South, 18-1, with the Lady Spartans getting 10 shots on goal compared to zero for South.
“We’ve been really stressing possessing the ball here in the last two or three weeks of practice, and tonight we did it,” EHS coach John Decker said. “When you possess the ball as much as we did tonight, it makes this a much easier game. They don’t get quality shots when you do that.”
Emporia High opened the scoring about midway through the first half when Jessica Decker took a pass from Lauren Kitchens and dumped the ball over the outstretched arms of South goalkeeper Adrianna Franch from about 15 yards out to make it 1-0.
That score would hold until about the halfway point of the second half, when Decker and Brittany Meza teamed up for a breakaway goal to stretch Emporia’s lead.
With the Lady Spartans on the attack, Decker rocketed a through ball ahead of the South defense toward the goal. Meza and a South defender each raced to the ball, with Meza getting to it first.
After a tussle for the ball about 20 yards out from the goal, Meza knocked a roller into the right side of the net just past a diving Franch.
“Brittany and Jessica played together growing up, and they sort of have a little chemistry out on the field,” John Decker said. “They were on the same page there. Jessica knew Brittany was up there, she got that through ball to her, and Brittany’s got the speed to get inside of her defender and make a nice, relaxed shot on goal.”
Senior Kylie White was the beneficiary of being in the right place at the time on Emporia’s final goal with 14 minutes remaining, as she knocked the ball into the net after Rachelle VanGundy’s shot bounced off the left post and right to her.
“I’ve been crashing all year, and that time, I just kind of relaxed and put it in,” White said. “I was just like, ‘Don’t shank it. Don’t miss. Just hit it easy and get it in.’”
The Lady Spartans will travel to face McPherson at 6 tonight in McPherson. Should EHS win tonight, it would play again on Thursday against an opponent to be determined.
“If this team plays well and comes out focused and ready to play, I think we can play with anybody,” Decker said. “We’ve just got to go in focused and stick with our game plan.”
Emporia 3, Salina South 0
Monday at TRYSA
Salina South 0 0 — 0
Emporia 1 2 — 3
First Half
Emp — Jessica Decker (assist from Lauren Kitchens), 15th minute
Second Half
Emp — Brittany Meza (assist from Decker), 55th minute
Emp — Kylie White (assist from Rachelle VanGundy), 67th minute
Game Statistics
Shots on goal — Salina South 0, Emporia 10. Total shots — Salina South 1, Emporia 18. Saves — Salina South: Adrianna Franch 5, Kadie Kutschka 2; Emporia: Melanie Nuessen 0. Corner kicks — Salina South 3, Emporia 4. Total fouls — Salina South 5, Emporia 5.
Records — Salina South 3-12-2, Emporia 10-6-1.
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