Making progress

Progress.

Each of the Patriots’ first three games this season resulted in one-goal losses. In all of them, they gave up an early score.

So while a tie wasn’t the target Thursday, Kendra Muhlenkamp saw it as a step in the right direction.

Aixa Lopez delivered the equalizing score late in the first half before the Jay County and Norwell girls soccer teams played to a stalemate in the second for a 1-1 tie.

“I thought we got better,” said Muhlenkamp, the Jay County High School coach whose team is now 1-3-1. (The Patriots opened with losses of 1-0 and 3-2 to Heritage and 2-1 to Woodlan before topping South Adams 7-1 Tuesday.) “Norwell is a really good team. And I thought we looked really good against them. I’m proud of our effort.”

The teams looked evenly matched from the get-go, frequently trading possession with neither team seeming to have the upper hand.

It took until the 27th minute before Norwell (2-2-1) to break through. Morgan Batdorff pushed up the right side and sent a pass in to Makenzie Fliess, who then tapped it to Gracie Mann. The sophomore forward fired a shot that deflected off of the hand of diving goalie Angel Clairday and into the left side of the net.

The tying goal from Lopez came with just 2:33 remaining in the opening half when she took a pass from Jayla Huelskamp. She proceeded to scoot past multiple defenders working toward the left post before lining a shot just inside the right post.

Muhlenkamp said she’s been encouraging the sophomore to be a bit more selfish with the ball. (Lopez has scored three times in the last two games after recording one goal in the first three.)

“She likes to pass. She’s got the ability to pass. But she’s definitely got the ability to score,” Muhlenkamp said. “When she’s in playing that center-mid, I think we have better control of the game. But when she’s up top we have a better chance to score the ball because she is very good with her footwork.”

Scoring opportunities were limited in the second half for both teams, with Muhlenkamp pulling shifting formations to give Molly Muhlenkamp and Jayla Huelskamp some help in the defensive midfield. She then pulled Jenna Dues, Molly Muhlenkamp and Lopez with eight minutes to go to give them some rest for a final push, but the Patriots were unable to find the net after they returned for the final 4:50 of the game.

“I think they did a great job controlling,” said Norwell coach Dan Batdorff. “Jay County was excellent in the midfield.

“They settle the ball well. They’re strong on the ball.”

Jay County’s best chances to get a second goal came before the scoring started in the first half. About the 28:30 mark, the Patriots popped the ball up in front of the net and Rinkenberger was unable to get to it. Noroa Zugasti Goicoechea had a chance to get her head on the ball near the right post but couldn’t connect, and Norwell junior Elise Boomershine finally was able to clear it despite Molly Muhlenkamp bearing down on her.

Then, with 16:21 on the clock, Lopez got open behind the defense when she beat Lillian Norris to the ball but her grounder shot was directly at goalie Gracie Rinkenberger.