HOPE MILLS — The shots on goal were plentiful for the Richmond Senior High School girls’ soccer team Saturday, but the Lady Raiders managed to find the back of the net just one time.
Playing in the “Kickin’ It with the Crew” tournament at Gray’s Creek High School, the Lady Raiders dropped their first match of the spring to the host Lady Bears, 5-1.
Richmond put 10 shots on frame, but only sophomore forward Kaitlyn Huff scored, her second goal in as many nights for the Lady Raiders.
Huff notched a team-high four shots against senior goalkeeper Emily Mullen, and junior forward Jayla McDougald added three shots on goal. Senior midfielder Carley Lambeth recorded two shots and fellow senior Avy Lucero rounded out Richmond’s attack with one tally on frame.
“We had some quality chances, especially early,” head coach Chris Larsen said. “We just didn’t capitalize on them. Within the first two minutes Kaitlyn had a chance on a nice cross from Jayla that sailed just high.
“The girls were in it, and we played with them for about 60 minutes,” he added. “Gray’s Creek is a quality team and we gave them a run for their money until they scored the third goal. The momentum swing got us and playing back-to-back nights got us a little bit.”
Kylie Rock gave the Lady Bears a one-goal lead in the fifth minute, making a run down the right side and crossing her shot to the left post against junior keeper Kelly Hoffman.
Huff and Lambeth responded with two shots on frame in the eighth and 14th minutes, respectively, but both times Mullen got a hand on the ball.
Emma Brock put Gray’s Creek up 2-0 in the 27th minute, tapping a pass from Rock into the net on a rush. Hoffman, who Larsen credited for holding her own in the net, made 13 saves in the game.
“Kelly was big for us again,” Larsen said. “Some of the goals were one-on-one and she played them the best she could. She’s doing all she can do for us right now.”
Huff cut Richmond’s deficit to one goal in the 36th minute, taking a throw-in from McDougald along the left sideline. She played the ball off her hip and made a touch around outside back Kamryn Rock, before beating Mullen to her right inside the near post.
Another quality chance came just two minutes later as Huff and McDougald had shots on frame following a Lucero direct kick from near midfield. Richmond entered the break down 2-1.
The second 40 minutes of play belonged to the Lady Bears (3-0), who scored three unanswered goals to secure the win. Kylie Rock scored her second goal of the game in the 46th minute, Eve Morrison added a goal in the 61st minute and Navaeh Sturrup capped the scoring in the 78th minute.
“I was pleased with the girls’ effort,” Larsen said. “Today allowed us to see what we need to work on to get better.
“Now we’ll get ready for Pinecrest on Tuesday,” he closed. “It’ll be a fight and I told the girls they need to go into the game with the mindset of winning the game in increments. Whether that’s five or 10 minutes at a time, we need to be ready.”
Richmond (1-1-1, 1-0 Sandhills Athletic Conference) will host conference foe Pinecrest High School (1-1-1, 1-0 SAC) on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
