Southern Wayne defender Aracely Perez-Barrera clears the ball from midfield. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s Ariana Soler-Sanchez battles for the ball. (Robert Taylor|mountolivetribune.com)
Southern Wayne’s girls’ soccer team hosted West Johnston in a match defined by defensive resilience, quick-paced transitions, and moments of teamwork under pressure. The Lady Saints fought to hold their shape and contain a polished visiting side, but after falling behind 6–0 by halftime, Southern Wayne struggled to recover. Despite their second-half adjustments and standout individual efforts particularly from goalkeeper Molly Barrett and defenders Kenzi Aycock and Sabrina Leon the Saints ultimately fell 9–0.
The game began with a burst of energy from both teams, though West Johnston quickly took control of possession and tempo. Ariana Soler-Sanchez and Angel Mouzone worked to organize the midfield, while Olivia Ruiz dropped into defensive coverage to help stabilize the back line. Southern Wayne defended in numbers, relying on timely clearances from Aycock and Aracely Perez-Barrera to prevent early breakthroughs. Molly Barrett, starting in goal, saw her first action in the 32nd minute when she stepped in to collect a low shot after a quick counterattack by the visitors.
Southern Wayne stayed compact and disciplined in the opening minutes, but the volume of attacks soon broke through. Around the 27-minute mark, West Johnston generated a close-range attempt off a sequence of one-touch passes near the box. Though defenders Rosilinda Quiroz and Jamiyah Lennox challenged the shot, Barrett made a clean catch to prevent an early goal. Just minutes later, another attempt was handled cleanly by the Saints’ keeper after the visitors penetrated from the right wing.
However, the steady wave of pressure eventually produced results. The first goal came at the 17-minute mark following a midfield turnover and a quick three-pass combination that split Southern Wayne’s defense. Barrett dove for the save but couldn’t reach the well-placed shot. Not long after, a scramble in the box led to a second goal, with defenders unable to clear the ball as the visitors capitalized on the chaos.
The Lady Saints struggled to relieve the pressure as West Johnston added four more goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half. Barrett made multiple saves during that stretch including a punch-out off a corner and a diving stop at the 5:56 mark but the relentless attacks, quick passing, and tactical movement from the visiting side proved difficult to contain. A misdirected pass in the back led to the third goal, and shortly after, another run through the center allowed the opposition to make it 4–0. Southern Wayne attempted to adjust, but back-to-back breakdowns resulted in two more goals before the break, and the Saints entered halftime trailing 6–0.
Coming back out on the field, the Saints looked to reset their shape and focus on slowing the tempo. Southern Wayne tightened their midfield coverage with help from Soler-Sanchez, Ruiz, and Quiroz. The back line adjusted spacing as Aycock and Leon began closing down on attacking runs earlier, supported by fresh legs from defenders Lida Escobar-Gonzalez and Kaylin Gobin. Barrett opened the half with a pair of saves, reading the game well and cutting off a through ball in the first five minutes.
Southern Wayne’s best defensive stretch came during the middle of the second half, as they held West Johnston scoreless for nearly 10 minutes through a series of clearances and interceptions. Olivia Ruiz and Quiroz helped win back possession, and forwards Lismari Sanchez and Crystal Velasquez worked to stretch the field during brief counterattacks. Although those efforts didn’t lead to shots, they helped ease pressure and momentarily flipped field position.
Eventually, West Johnston broke through again at the 38:10 mark, making it 7–0 after slipping a shot just inside the far post. The Saints regrouped, but a deflection off a cross moments later led to another goal, pushing the margin to 8–0. Barrett continued to fight in net, making several aggressive plays off her line and staying alert on rebounds.
With just over five minutes remaining, Southern Wayne conceded their final goal of the night. A blocked shot bounced around the box, and though Barrett got a glove on the second attempt, the rebound was tapped in to make it 9–0.
Despite the result, there were notable performances for Southern Wayne. Molly Barrett was active throughout, finishing with multiple saves and consistently communicating with her back line. Kenzi Aycock and Sabrina Leon stayed engaged defensively across both halves, breaking up passes and holding their ground against a fast-paced offense. Midfielders Soler-Sanchez, Quiroz, and Mouzone showed composure under pressure, while Ruiz filled a versatile role between defense and midfield.
Sanchez and Velasquez remained persistent in pressing forward, trying to create space in the final third. While the Lady Saints were unable to generate clear shots on goal, they demonstrated effort and discipline against a high-quality opponent.
The Saints will now look to regroup and build on the lessons from this match particularly in limiting turnovers, maintaining defensive structure, and improving ball control under pressure. With continued development and leadership from players like Barrett, Aycock, and Ruiz, Southern Wayne is poised to keep progressing through the remainder of the season.
