LA MONTE — Smithton kept the pressure on a shorthanded La Monte team to earn its first win of the season, scoring five goals in the first half for a 5-0 win.
The Tigers outshot the Vikings 35-3, had a 19-1 edge in shots on frame and a 17-0 advantage in corner kicks.
“Our team was doing a really good job of keeping the ball wide and really possessing the ball well,” said Smithton coach Sean Hutchinson.
Smithton kept the pressure on in the second half but the La Monte backline turned away multiple chances.
“They were keeping together, they were moving across where they needed to,” said La Monte coach Drew Burris. “The three zones out there, they knew to shift across and come back to the middle, get back to the other side. That’s what we worked on almost all the time in practice. They’re young, but we’re still working.”
Handling many of those Smithton corner kicks was Annie DeHaven, consistently serving playable balls into the center including one in the 14th minute which Tristan Westermier headed in for the first goal of the game.
“She’s a really good player,” Hutchinson said. “She knows where the ball needs to go and makes sure she gets it there every single time.”
Smithton added four more in the half. Andrew Frazee knocked a shot off the post in the 21st minute but Brock Doyal scored off the rebound. A trip in the box led to Roland Reyna scoring from the penalty spot in the 28th minute. Reyna added another in the 31st.
La Monte started freshman Maleiah Mugg in goal. After making nine saves Monday in a win over Columbia Independent in her debut, she made several diving stops to deny Smithton in the first half.
“She’s worked for several weeks to get to the point where I wanted her,” Burris said. “… We’ve got a lot of games left in the season. She’s going to be just fine.”
In the second half, Burris called on senior Tristan Hackworth who often came off his line to challenge Smithton chances and keep the Tigers from extending the lead.
“Had him in goal for the past couple years and we needed someone up front with some power and he’d be backup just in case we needed him,” Burris said. “Tried her out in front and it worked a little bit for us.”
La Monte got most of its chances in the second half. Long passes for Kendra Mugg early in the half were too far in front of her and collected by the Smithton keeper. The Smithton backline turned away chances in the 65th, 72nd and 78th minute with Serafin Lemus and Kobe Callahan seeing the Smithton defense come up with stops and Trenton Johnson pushing a shot wide.
Smithton (1-4) will host Calvary Lutheran on Thursday.
La Monte (1-1) will host Cole Camp on Sept. 22.