Lady Cyclones fall to Tennessee High
Published 11:51 pm Thursday, September 16, 2021
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones Maddie O’Quinn (9) delivers a corner kick toward the net early in the first half.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton’s Kaiya Simmons (21) battles the Vikings McKinley Swifts (21) for the ball near mid-field in the first half.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Viking keeper Bridget Flaherty (1) rushes out and scoops up the ball before Elizabethton’s Mollie Johnson (3) reaches it for a shot on goal.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders The Cyclones Maddie O’Quinn (9) stripes the ball away from Tennessee High’s Amelia Teri (11) late in the first half.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Elizabethton’s Kaiya Simmons (21) and the Vikings Paige Helms (5) battle for control of the ball near mid-field in the first half.
StarPhoto/Larry N. Souders Cyclone keeper Morgan Heaton drives the ball down field after stopping a shot on goal late in the first half.
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BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
Sophomore striker Riley Miller scored a three-goal hat trick for Tennessee High as the Lady Vikings earned a 3-nil conference win over Elizabethton in girls soccer action on Thursday evening at Citizens Bank Stadium.
“Riley did a great job finishing tonight,” said Lady Vikings head coach Kevin Mooney. “It took us a lot to get settled in, EHS was playing a different defense than we anticipated so they were a tough puzzle to solve.”
THS (7-2-1 overall, 2-1 conference) nearly went scoreless in the first half but Miller got free on a breakaway near the home sideline with Savannah Smith right on her hip, but Miller was able to fire a high shot that beat EHS goalkeeper Morgan Heaton with 10 seconds left in the half.
“We had to be more aware in that situation and play the ball out,” Lady Cyclones head coach Bill McClay said. “Morgan did a good job in goal. When you have a competent goalkeeper those are the plays you expect to make.
“The three goals they scored were on us. On the first, we made a mistake in the midfield and should have played that ball out. We had trouble making accurate passes once we had the ball.”
Miller struck again in the 50th minute off a fine feed from Sophie Arnold for a 2-nil Vikings advantage. Arnold made the pass across the goal face to where Miller found the opening and pushed a shot past Heaton.
Heaton was spectacular in goal for EHS making several fine saves that could have tilted the contest even more in favor of Tennessee High. EHS (3-3, 1-1 conference) had just three shots on goal in the match and two more off of free kicks that sailed wide of the frame.
In the 57th minute, Miller broke free again and scored the hat trick goal and minutes later the Vikings made mass substitutions.
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Tennessee High 3-0
THS 1 2 – 3
EHS 0 0 – 0
Scoring Summary
First Half
T – Miller (unassisted) 40:00
Second Half
T – Miller (assist Arnold) 50:00
T – Miller (unassisted) 57:00
