RAEFORD — Similar to Wednesday’s win, the Lady Raider soccer team used two late goals to earn its third straight victory.
Playing on back-to-back nights, the Lady Raiders continued their stretch of dominant play against Sandhills Athletic Conference opponents, defeating Hoke County High School 3-1.
Senior forward Jayla McDougald added two goals to her season total, a night after heading in a goal against Lumberton. Netting Richmond’s first tally was sophomore midfielder Cheyenne Jacobs.
Both teams scored a goal in the opening 40 minutes, before McDougald put the game away with her pair of goals in the second half.
While he’s happy the team earned another win, head coach Chris Larsen said he’d like to see the scoring happen earlier in games.
“Much like last night, we moved the ball pretty well,” Larsen said. “We are getting a little complacent and not keeping our foot on the gas the whole time.
“I told the girls that if they would play the whole 80 minutes like we do the last 15 minutes, we wouldn’t be in these tight ball games like we have been,” he added.
Both teams started the game by controlling the tempo at different times. Richmond peppered the net with six shots in the first half, and it was Jacobs in the 23rd minute to score the game’s first goal.
Junior Kaitlyn Huff won possession of the ball deep in the left pocket and sent a cross to the far post. Senior Shelly Hoffman nearly got her head on it, but Jacobs was there to collect the loose ball and one-timed it high over goalkeeper Meia Banks’ hands.
Jacobs put Richmond ahead on what was her fourth goal of the season, and Huff was credited with her second assist.
Sophomore Cheyenne Jacobs (13) scored her fourth goal of the season in Thursday’s win.
Just over a minute later, a yellow card by Richmond’s keeper Kelly Hoffman afforded the Lady Bucks a penalty kick. Melissa Torres took the shot and slotted the ball past backup keeper Ellie Buck to tie the game in the 24th minute.
Richmond and Hoke County (4-5-1 SAC) entered the intermission tied at one goal apiece. Larsen said he switched some things up in the second half and tried to get the team to return to its comfort zone and play its style of game.
“In the second half, we played a little bit more direct than we have been,” Larsen explained. “We’ve gotten away from what’s made us successful like playing the ball wide and getting a diagonal ball behind their line.
“I emphasized that and we had a couple more opportunities in the second half. Luckily we were able to put one in and Jayla made a great hustle play on the last goal.”
Kelly Hoffman opened the second half with one of her several punching saves in the game off a corner kick. She also had a save off the bar in the 62nd minute and made two pivotal saves in the final three minutes.
McDougald scored the eventual game-winning goal in the 54th minute, using her speed down the left sideline to create space. Beating a defender around the edge, McDougald cut into the 18-yard box and lasered a shot into the net along the far post.
“We are trying to keep our record strong, so getting this win was really important tonight,” McDougald said. “The team needed someone to score, so it felt good to help the team get motivated and pumped up after my first goal.
“We have to keep trusting each other and talking on the field, that’s what’s going to keep us playing well,” she continued. “Keeping good chemistry and playing smart are also important.”
Huff had a good look from 25 yards out in the 75th minute, but her shot sailed just over the crossbar.
With under two minutes to play, senior midfielder Caroline Whitley airmailed a long pass across midfield to McDougald who was open in the middle.
After taking a touch, McDougald went one-on-one with Banks, and the two collided. The ball took a Richmond bounce back toward the open net and McDougald followed it and tapped it in for the insurance goal.
That tally tied her with Huff for the team lead in goals this spring with 10 marks.
Senior Jayla McDougald (center) rips her first of two goals in the Lady Raiders’ 3-1 win.
“It’s nice to stay in the win column, especially against teams that are getting better,” Whitley said. “At this point in the season, it’s important that we keep winning.
“The midfielders and the defense are talking more lately and we’ve gotten better from doing that,” she added. “I passed the ball up to Jayla over the top and hoped and prayed she’d be there. And she was to get that final goal.”
The Lady Raiders (9-2 SAC) return home for senior night on Monday against Seventy-First High School (2-8-2 SAC). Richmond defeated the Lady Falcons 2-0 on March 30.
Monday’s game kicks off a three-game week to close Richmond’s regular season. The Lady Raiders will travel to Scotland on Wednesday, followed by the regular-season finale at home against Purnell Swett on Thursday.
“We have three tough games next week, and if we can win one more, that should solidify us in second place,” Larsen said. “That’ll get us a playoff spot, but I told the team we need to right the ship on some of our fundamentals if we want to compete in the playoffs.
“We need to get that chemistry going like we had when we played against Jack Britt and Hoke County,” he closed. “Doing the simple things the right way will help us in the long run.”
Note: The Richmond junior varsity soccer team did not play Thursday due to Hoke County not having a team.
