It was a simple play according to Eleanor Hawkes, but it ended in a critical goal.
“Erica (Repich) was coming down the sideline like she always does, she has all these breakaways,” Hawkes said. “I just knew I had to be on the opposite post because she’d send it across. I was just there at the right time and she passed it to me and I hit it in.”
Hawkes’ finish with about 12 minutes to play helped lift the Warriors to a 2-1 win over Monticello Tuesday night, a big step in the right direction for a Western team that has been looking to get on track.
“I thought it was a really good game, I think before, mentally … we weren’t totally there,” Hawkes said. “Today we just were, everyone was in it and we just got on this roll.”
The Warriors are starting to come around in part because they’re gaining experience. They started the season with an almost entirely new group of players and a new coach in Compton Going, but things really started clicking against the Mustangs. The Warriors did an excellent job of controlling possession for most of the contest.
“We were really playing offense most of the game,” Going said. “We were battling, battling and battling. We were working the ball on our end most of the night. Every game we’re getting better.”
That possession control got a spark early when Marlena Flynn provided Western’s first goal just seconds into the game. But Western couldn’t find a way to push one over and extend the lead, which opened the door for the Mustangs to equalize with 16 minutes left to play in the second half, when Caleigh Smith broke through.
“That goal was a vote of confidence for the girls that we can get through that we have the ability to compete with this team,” said Monticello coach Katie Martin. “But I think after the second goal we started to get a little bit frazzled and question that a little bit more.”
Emily Sposato and Addie Patterson were solid throughout in the cage for the Warriors, but the midfield prevented either from facing too many shots. The Warriors did manage to hold up against a series of short corner and long hit scenarios for the Mustangs in the closing minutes, making it tough for the Mustangs to even get a shot off.
The Warriors will host Orange County Thursday while the Mustangs look to rebound on the road against Louisa.
