Seymour High School’s girls soccer team beat more than the heat on Tuesday.

The quest for the Hoosier Hills Conference crown commenced without a hitch for the Owls, as they defeated Jeffersonville 3-0 at SHS soccer complex.

The Owls (3-0, 1-0 HHC) first got on the board with 29:09 left in the first half, as junior Bailey Lykins broke away from the pack and dribbled 30 yards to put herself between the Red Devils’ keeper, Casey Schweitzer, and the net. Lykins then dribbled past the diving goalie and walked the ball in to put the Owls up 1-0.

[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]

Click here to purchase photos from this gallery

The Owls had plenty more opportunities to score before intermission, including a shot by Kylee Nowling that was just stopped by Schweitzer before the goal line, but weren’t able to capitalize.

At the half, the Owls held a 1-0 lead.

“We played Scottsburg last weekend and didn’t want to possess the ball, we were shooting from 45 yards,” Owls coach Greg Musser said. “Today, we were possessing the heck out of the ball. We just didn’t have an ending part to it, we didn’t want to shoot. We are figuring some things out and the girls are working hard.”

The Owls continued getting opportunities to score through the first 20 minutes of the second half, but couldn’t get one to go in.

Back-to-back shots from Lykins and Addison Chandler were both saved with just under 10 minutes left, and a breakaway from Jimena Leal was also stopped with just eight minutes left by Schweitzer.

SHS freshman Lillie Wessel finally got one to go with 5:12 left in the game, as she took a shot from 12 yards and hit it across her body to just inside the far post for the score.

Wessel added another with 3:25 on the clock.

Jimena Leal dribbled into the center of the Red Devils’ box and passed it out to the right wing. Wessel rocketed the ball across her body to the upper left corner to put the Owls up 3-0.

The Owls were then able to work the ball around before time expired.

“Jeff has come a long way since I took over seven years ago,” Musser said. “They are on the rise. Jason (Crane, coach) has them working hard, and we knew they were going to play us tough today. I think the girls responded well. I thought we battled from start to finish.”

In goal, Hiester totaled two saves for the Owls. SHS hasn’t given up a goal through three games this season.

“We have been hammering this defensive shape a lot,” Musser said. “Three straight shutouts, you can’t be mad about that. Something is working.”

Columbus East has won the HHC 12 times in the past 13 years. The Owls shared the conference title with East 2003.

The last time SHS won a sectional was 1997.

The Owls are in a gauntlet stretch, playing at Batesville on Thursday before going to Bloomington North for the Hoosier Cup over the weekend. They open with Ft. Wayne Concordia on Friday and will face Vincennes Rivet and Edgewood to end the tourney on Saturday.

Musser said he looks forward to seeing how his team responds with tired legs.