Dunkley scores twice to lead Spartans’ 7-0 win
RLEGER@HENDERSONDISPATCH.COM; 252-436-2840
OXFORD — The Kerr-Vance Academy girls’ soccer team traveled to the Granville Athletic Park to face Oxford Prep (1-4-2) in a non-conference matchup Tuesday evening, completely controlling every aspect of the game as they cruised to a 7-0 victory.
The Spartans (4-2) consistently created scoring chances from the very beginning of the contest, with junior striker Nicole Dunkley laying out a beautiful cross pass for senior midfielder Megan O’Leary, who promptly booted the ball past Griffins’ senior goaltender Ellie Hedgepeth to give Kerr-Vance a 1-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of action.
Hedgepeth, one of the Griffins’ captains, made several key saves over the next few minutes to keep her team’s deficit at a single goal, while sophomore defender Maggie Clark came up with a few huge shot blocks for Oxford Prep.
Kerr-Vance kept the pressure on the Griffins, however, as junior midfielder Riley Short collected her own rebound in the box and didn’t miss for a second time, beating Hedgepeth from point blank range to extend the Spartans’ advantage to 2-0.
Despite opening up a two-goal lead, Kerr-Vance refused to take its foot off the gas pedal and quickly added to their advantage on a perfectly placed corner kick.
After netting the Spartans’ first goal, O’Leary picked up an assist by putting the corner kick right on the foot of sophomore midfielder Ashley Dickerson, who wasted no time before booting the ball into the back of the net.
Dunkley joined the party a few minutes later, scoring an unassisted goal in the box after being robbed by Hedgepeth on a few separate occasions earlier in the contest.
The junior’s goal stretched the Spartans’ lead to 4-0, leaving head coach Razvan Tegean comfortable enough to substitute liberally for the remainder of the match.
Trailing by four goals, the Griffins finally got their first scoring chance of the night as they advanced the ball past midfield for one of the first times all game, but Spartans’ junior goaltender Holly Steg quickly came up and covered the ball to end the threat.
Kerr-Vance wasn’t done though, netting one more goal
before the break to take a comfortable five-goal advantage into halftime.
Freshman midfielder Lorena Negron notched the assist on a corner kick, setting up seventh-grader Emma Mooring (striker) on her first goal of the evening.
This gave Kerr-Vance all the momentum heading into halftime, with the Spartans dominating on both ends of the pitch. Tegean’s squad maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the first half, constantly creating scoring opportunities as Oxford Prep struggled to clear the ball from its zone.
The Spartans’ second-year head coach challenged his team to work on the little details in the second half, such as headers and their passing, while working the ball around and milking the clock.
Negron became the sixth different goal scorer for Kerr-Vance, stretching the Spartans’ lead to 6-0 about midway through the second half. Dunkley netted the final goal for Kerr-Vance, which was her second of the match.
Although the Griffins were outmatched, head coach Gary Owens’ team never gave up and hustled until the very last whistle. The defense was terrific and the score could’ve been a lot worse, especially considering how much the ball was in the Griffins’ zone.
The Spartans (4-2, 1-0) will return to action when they travel to face Rocky Mount Academy (2-2) in a critical 1A/2A Carolina Independent Conference matchup Friday evening.
The Griffins (1-4-2) will return to action when they host local rival Henderson Collegiate (0-1) in a non-conference matchup at the Granville Athletic Park Thursday night.
RLEGER@HENDERSONDISPATCH.COM; 252-436-2840
OXFORD — The Kerr-Vance Academy girls’ soccer team traveled to the Granville Athletic Park to face Oxford Prep (1-4-2) in a non-conference matchup Tuesday evening, completely controlling every aspect of the game as they cruised to a 7-0 victory.
The Spartans (4-2) consistently created scoring chances from the very beginning of the contest, with junior striker Nicole Dunkley laying out a beautiful cross pass for senior midfielder Megan O’Leary, who promptly booted the ball past Griffins’ senior goaltender Ellie Hedgepeth to give Kerr-Vance a 1-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of action.
Hedgepeth, one of the Griffins’ captains, made several key saves over the next few minutes to keep her team’s deficit at a single goal, while sophomore defender Maggie Clark came up with a few huge shot blocks for Oxford Prep.
Kerr-Vance kept the pressure on the Griffins, however, as junior midfielder Riley Short collected her own rebound in the box and didn’t miss for a second time, beating Hedgepeth from point blank range to extend the Spartans’ advantage to 2-0.
Despite opening up a two-goal lead, Kerr-Vance refused to take its foot off the gas pedal and quickly added to their advantage on a perfectly placed corner kick.
After netting the Spartans’ first goal, O’Leary picked up an assist by putting the corner kick right on the foot of sophomore midfielder Ashley Dickerson, who wasted no time before booting the ball into the back of the net.
Dunkley joined the party a few minutes later, scoring an unassisted goal in the box after being robbed by Hedgepeth on a few separate occasions earlier in the contest.
The junior’s goal stretched the Spartans’ lead to 4-0, leaving head coach Razvan Tegean comfortable enough to substitute liberally for the remainder of the match.
Trailing by four goals, the Griffins finally got their first scoring chance of the night as they advanced the ball past midfield for one of the first times all game, but Spartans’ junior goaltender Holly Steg quickly came up and covered the ball to end the threat.
Kerr-Vance wasn’t done though, netting one more goal
before the break to take a comfortable five-goal advantage into halftime.
Freshman midfielder Lorena Negron notched the assist on a corner kick, setting up seventh-grader Emma Mooring (striker) on her first goal of the evening.
This gave Kerr-Vance all the momentum heading into halftime, with the Spartans dominating on both ends of the pitch. Tegean’s squad maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the first half, constantly creating scoring opportunities as Oxford Prep struggled to clear the ball from its zone.
The Spartans’ second-year head coach challenged his team to work on the little details in the second half, such as headers and their passing, while working the ball around and milking the clock.
Negron became the sixth different goal scorer for Kerr-Vance, stretching the Spartans’ lead to 6-0 about midway through the second half. Dunkley netted the final goal for Kerr-Vance, which was her second of the match.
Although the Griffins were outmatched, head coach Gary Owens’ team never gave up and hustled until the very last whistle. The defense was terrific and the score could’ve been a lot worse, especially considering how much the ball was in the Griffins’ zone.
The Spartans (4-2, 1-0) will return to action when they travel to face Rocky Mount Academy (2-2) in a critical 1A/2A Carolina Independent Conference matchup Friday evening.
The Griffins (1-4-2) will return to action when they host local rival Henderson Collegiate (0-1) in a non-conference matchup at the Granville Athletic Park Thursday night.
