The Cheney High School girls soccer split their matches last week, dropping their Great Northern League season-opener at Clarkston, 3-1, but rebounding for a convincing 5-0 non-league win over Greater Spokane League’s Shadle Park on the home pitch Saturday.
Lady Blackhawks head coach Nels Radtke felt his team out-played the host Bantams on Tuesday, but gave up a couple of ill-timed goals on long balls that got behind the defensive back line. Those goals came right at the end of the first half for a 2-0 Clarkston lead, and in the first minute of the second half for a 3-0 margin.
“We fixed it after the game,” Radtke said of the defense.
Cheney’s only goal came from Makenna Benson, who controlled a pass from Sydney Eaton and dribbled past several Bantam defenders for the score in the 55th minute. Clarkston out shot Cheney 10-7, with goalkeeper Melissa Aris making six saves.
Radtke said his team played well Saturday against the Highlanders. Prior to the start, he gave them a simple goal to achieve — to get back to having fun.
“We did that,” Radtke said. “I didn’t give them much of a game plan but go out and play the way they know they can play.”
Mackenzie Huotari scored the only goal of the first half, connecting off a Kaitlin Teeters assist for a 1-0 Cheney lead in the 34th minute. The flood gates opened 16 minutes into the second half when Teeters fed Kailey Estrellado for a score in the 56th minute, and collected her third assist of the game two minutes later on Benson’s first goal.
Megan Little made it 4-0 on a Katarina Smith assist in the 61st minute, and Benson topped it off with her second goal on a Abby Kasparek assist in the 80th minute. Cheney out shot Shadle Park 14-3, with Aris making three saves.
Radtke praised Teeters play, along with that of Emma Scott, who did a good job of possessing and controlling the ball in the midfield.
The Lady Blackhawks were to have played West Valley in their second GNL match last Thursday, but more wildfire smoke rolling in postponed that to Sept. 25. The team will get a good test of where they’re at in their development this week as Cheney’s only game is at GNL-title favorite East Valley today (Thursday) at 4 p.m.
John McCallum can be reached at jmac@cheneyfreepress.com.
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