DENISON — Both the Creston boys and girls soccer squads traversed the long road to Denison and came away with losses to the Monarchs Friday.
The Panther girls were involved in yet another physical Hawkeye 10 matchup that matched two teams of similar talent levels, but fell 4-2 in penalty kicks after entering overtime tied at 1-1.
Though the Monarchs struck first regulation, Karlmen Chuong responded just as coach Kim Lauffer has been hoping for all season.
A ball played into the box bounced off of a teammate, Chuong targeted the ball and booted it through for the tying goal.
“She just knocked it in there, she looked kind of shocked that it did what she wanted it to do,” Lauffer said.
But the goal was indicative of the work Chung has put in in practice. Lauffer knew that Chuong was capable of such feats when the aggressor and not acting timid on the pitch.
“She played a much better game in terms of being willing to body up next to somebody and win the ball,” Lauffer said.
Chuong was one of two Panthers, Bre Ross the other, who scored in penalty kicks.
The Panthers defense got them through two overtimes having allowed just a single goal, but it was evident that the Panthers lagged.
“Our defense was strong the entire game,” Lauffer said. “The last 20 minutes it was so hard for them.”
Creston keeper Leah Shuler recorded 15 stops for the Panthers. Several came in overtime to help force the game to PK’s, but the game ended with the Monarchs victorious.
UP NEXT — Creston (1-5, 1-3), will host Class 2A third-ranked Lewis Central (5-2, 3-0) Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
No stats were available as of press time.
DENISON — While the Panther boys soccer team stays steadfast in its protection of its own net, Creston could not quite muster the offensive firepower needed to head home from Denison-Schleswig with a victory.
The Monarchs were sure to mark Creston’s Ben Irr in the midfield and keep the senior from possessing for long and from distributing out wide to the wings.
Creston had yet to see teams play so cohesively when it came to offensive sets, so consistent in their trapping and control of the ball, and even the formation it saw across from it was different. The Monarchs utilized a 3-4-3.
When the Panthers moved Irr to the wing in the second half, he was able to create several offensive opportunities, as were Peres Reed and Brenden McDowell, but only three shots on goal came to fruition for the Panthers.
“In this particular game, we had the right attitude, the right energy, and the right intensity,” Creston coach Lucian Diaconu said. “But we did not have the right experience in playing. This was an experienced team.”
The two Monarch goals, from Erik Jaime and Nelson Lopez, came in the seventh and 36th minutes of the game.
Creston goalie Payton Pryor saved 11 shots.
UP NEXT — Creston (5-3, 0-2), plays Atlantic (3-3, 1-2) home today at 4:30 p.m.
Creston (0) —Shots (on goal) — 12 (3 on goal). Individual shots (on goal)— Irr 4 (3), Brenden McDowell 3 (1), Peres Reed 2 (1), Evan Jacobson 2. Keeper Saves — Payton Pryor 11.
D-S (2) — Goals — Erik Jaime 1, Nelson Lopez 1. Shots (on goal)— 22 (8). Assists — Anderson Martinez 1. Keeper Saves — Guadalupe Estrada 3.