Renna’s five goals propel Crossroads past Lee Christian
By Brandon White bwhite@hendersondispatch.com; 252-436-284
HENDERSON -- The Crossroads Christian women’s soccer team had plenty of reasons to celebrate on senior night Thursday, as they defeated Lee Christian 6-2 due to a five-goal performance from junior Tori Renna.
Thursday’s triumph gave Crossroads their seventh victory on the 2021 season, which is the most wins recorded in the history of the program but head coach Holden Coghill believes that many more winning seasons are on the horizon for Crossroads.
“I’m so proud of these girls,” Coghill said. “The momentum that we’ve made this year is going to create a ripple effect. This is going to be a program-changing season and it’s so cool that it ends up culminating on senior day.”
Although Crossroads got the start they were looking for by relentlessly attacking Lee Christian’s end of the field, Lee Christian got on the board first after converting a penalty kick just before the mask timeout.
Renna helped Crossroads take control after the brief intermission, as she sprinted down the field and scored two quick goals with almost no resistance from Lee Christian. Freshman Hailey Grissom added Crossroads’ third goal before Renna closed out the half by registering a hat trick.
Neither team would score again until 16:57 remaining when Lee Christian snuck a shot past Crossroads goalkeeper Justice Simmons. Lee Christian’s hopes for a win evaporated shortly afterwards as Renna drilled two more shots into the back of the net to seal the victory for her team.
“I’ve challenged Tori to be a little more assertive,” Coghill said. “I want her to be aware of more situations in which she is the best option on her own and I’m proud of her for having that presence and awareness to take the game by the scruff of the neck at times.”
Coghill affirmed that Crossroads currently stands at 7-5 on the season in large part because of the leadership and guidance of his senior class that consists of Simmons, Hope Hollingsworth and Anna Parker, the latter of which could not play in Thursday’s game due to COVID-19 protocols.
Hollingsworth said that she is proud of everything that the soccer team has accomplished in a year hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and is confident that her younger teammates will continue to build on the foundation from this season long after she graduates from Crossroads.
“This is really exciting for the program as a whole,” Hollingsworth said. “I know this feels great for the younger girls and I hope they can keep this up.”
Hollingsworth, Simmons and Parker all played multiple sports during their time at Crossroads, with Simmons admitting that she will miss the friendships that she has created with her teammates after she plays her final soccer match.
“It’s been really great to play sports here at Crossroads,” Simmons said. “We’ve had some rough times but it’s been very fun overall and I’ve had a great time myself.”
Simmons, Hollingsworth, Parker and the rest of the Crossroads women’s soccer team will now be moving on in the NCISAA 1A Playoffs, where Coghill is optimistic that the program’s record-setting season will keep going for a few more games.
“We’ve got a good niche right now but we have to keep the system going,” Coghill said. “Everyone is playing like the best version of themselves and as long as we control the controllables and do the things we know how to do, we’ll be fine. We’re in uncharted waters and right now we’re just enjoying the ride.”
Crossroads will travel to Clayton on May 6 for a battle against Southside Christian in the first round of the NCISAA 1A Playoffs.
By Brandon White bwhite@hendersondispatch.com; 252-436-284
HENDERSON -- The Crossroads Christian women’s soccer team had plenty of reasons to celebrate on senior night Thursday, as they defeated Lee Christian 6-2 due to a five-goal performance from junior Tori Renna.
Thursday’s triumph gave Crossroads their seventh victory on the 2021 season, which is the most wins recorded in the history of the program but head coach Holden Coghill believes that many more winning seasons are on the horizon for Crossroads.
“I’m so proud of these girls,” Coghill said. “The momentum that we’ve made this year is going to create a ripple effect. This is going to be a program-changing season and it’s so cool that it ends up culminating on senior day.”
Although Crossroads got the start they were looking for by relentlessly attacking Lee Christian’s end of the field, Lee Christian got on the board first after converting a penalty kick just before the mask timeout.
Renna helped Crossroads take control after the brief intermission, as she sprinted down the field and scored two quick goals with almost no resistance from Lee Christian. Freshman Hailey Grissom added Crossroads’ third goal before Renna closed out the half by registering a hat trick.
Neither team would score again until 16:57 remaining when Lee Christian snuck a shot past Crossroads goalkeeper Justice Simmons. Lee Christian’s hopes for a win evaporated shortly afterwards as Renna drilled two more shots into the back of the net to seal the victory for her team.
“I’ve challenged Tori to be a little more assertive,” Coghill said. “I want her to be aware of more situations in which she is the best option on her own and I’m proud of her for having that presence and awareness to take the game by the scruff of the neck at times.”
Coghill affirmed that Crossroads currently stands at 7-5 on the season in large part because of the leadership and guidance of his senior class that consists of Simmons, Hope Hollingsworth and Anna Parker, the latter of which could not play in Thursday’s game due to COVID-19 protocols.
Hollingsworth said that she is proud of everything that the soccer team has accomplished in a year hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic and is confident that her younger teammates will continue to build on the foundation from this season long after she graduates from Crossroads.
“This is really exciting for the program as a whole,” Hollingsworth said. “I know this feels great for the younger girls and I hope they can keep this up.”
Hollingsworth, Simmons and Parker all played multiple sports during their time at Crossroads, with Simmons admitting that she will miss the friendships that she has created with her teammates after she plays her final soccer match.
“It’s been really great to play sports here at Crossroads,” Simmons said. “We’ve had some rough times but it’s been very fun overall and I’ve had a great time myself.”
Simmons, Hollingsworth, Parker and the rest of the Crossroads women’s soccer team will now be moving on in the NCISAA 1A Playoffs, where Coghill is optimistic that the program’s record-setting season will keep going for a few more games.
“We’ve got a good niche right now but we have to keep the system going,” Coghill said. “Everyone is playing like the best version of themselves and as long as we control the controllables and do the things we know how to do, we’ll be fine. We’re in uncharted waters and right now we’re just enjoying the ride.”
Crossroads will travel to Clayton on May 6 for a battle against Southside Christian in the first round of the NCISAA 1A Playoffs.
