SEYMOUR
The only thing hotter than the temperature outside on Monday was the Seymour girls soccer team’s offensive prowess.
With 21 shots on target, the Owls dominated Salem to the tune of a 7-0 rout to keep their unblemished start to the season going.
It took a few minutes before Seymour netted their first goal. Three times the ball bounced casually in the box, just waiting to be put in for a goal but the Owls were unable to get one through.
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"That first one is always the hardest," Seymour coach Greg Musser said. "We’ve been in these situations where we’ve been in control of the game but haven’t been able to get the ball into the back of the net.
"You could see that was happening and the moment that first one went in, you could see that weight lifted, then [goals] two, three and four went right in."
Lille Wessel drove in the first two goals for the Owls.
Her first came in the 21st minute after the Salem keeper failed to secure the ball. Instead it bounced right off her gloves and into the waiting foot of Wessel, who pummeled it home.
A minute hadn’t even passed before she got her second, this time off of a nice cross from Aidan Hiester.
Kylee Nowling chipped in their third goal just four minutes later, putting the ball just over the Salem keeper’s head after she left her line.
Camryn Sterling got the final goal of the first half, sneaking the ball through the keeper’s legs to make it 4-0.
Most of Musser’s reserves started the second half with a few of his varsity players remaining on the pitch. Still, the Owls didn’t show any signs of slowing down.
"It’s a good thing where we’re at," Musser said. "We have to struggle with the decision to practice with 16 or 12 players and who makes the cut and who doesn’t.
"We have 10 other girls that can step in and not really miss a beat. It shows the depth of the program we’re building here."
Fourteen minutes into the second half and Hiester got a goal of her own via penalty kick.
Ellie Cornn turned in the first goal of the second half from the run of play and would later get a brace of her own, sliding the ball by the keeper in the final minute.
All told, Seymour out-shot Salem 21-6. Owl keepers Kate Snook and Ellen Zabor combined for the shutout. Snook only had one moment where she had to make a play on the ball while Zabor saved five shot attempts by the Lions.
The Owls continue their homestand this Saturday against Columbus North. Junior varsity starts at 10 a.m. with varsity to follow.