Program history

Lightning could only slow the process of the Creston girls soccer team winning its first postseason game in school history, 7-0 in just 69 minutes of play over Clarke Tuesday.

Rain had lingered in the area all afternoon and precipitation prior to kickoff made the field slick, helping the Panthers to get on the board first.

Kara Kinsella was on the receiving end of a drop pass from Bree Ross before blistering a low line drive into the back of the net in the seventh minute. The shot skipped along the ground and eventually past the Clarke keeper.

Ross earned a second assist later in the game, but not before netting a goal of her own in the 15th minute when she danced past defenders on her way to finding the back of the net.

Kinsella added her second goal of the game in the 33rd minute when she struck a ball from about 25 yards away that found the netting.

“They both wanted to play forward and I kept telling them no, I want you in the midfield and that was why,” said head coach Kim Lauffer. “That’s why I stick them in those positions is to have that opportunity.”

The Panthers were the aggressors in the early going and it showed as they flocked to the ball instantly.

Clarke wanted to play kickoffs backwards and work its way forward, but Creston’s pressure quickly made the Lady Indians uncomfortable in their own half.

Jessica Arevalo, Chloe Marlin and Kalan Bloodgood all added scoring tallies in the second half before weather ending the game.

Bloodgood continued her impressive defensive play and turned a few opportunities into shots on goal after finding her way through multiple Lady Indians defensemen.

The win not only marks the first postseason win in Panther history, but it also gives Creston its fifth win of the year, the most of any team under Lauffer.

Creston’s offense tallied 17 shots on goal and Lauffer was pleased with how the Panthers handled the postseason pressure.

“Normally, roles are reversed and we’re fighting tooth and nail to stay in the game so the girls were excited to have that,” Lauffer said. “It was a change for us. They got after it thought and they fought hard.”

UP NEXT – Creston (5-11) will head to Nevada on Friday to take on the winner of Nevada and Grand View Christian. Those two are playing Wednesday.

Results

Creston (7) – Kara Kinsella 7th minute, 33rd minute; Bree Ross 15th minute; Jessica Arevalo 43rd minute; Chloe Marlin 50th minute; Kalan Bloodgood 63rd minute. Shots (on goal) – 31 (17) – Ross 9 (6), Madison McCoubrey 5 (2), Kinsella 5 (2), Karmen Chuong 3 (3), Bloodgood 3 (3), Marlin 1 (1), Mimi Aguirre 1 (0), Emma Christensen 1 (0). Keeper Saves – Sophia Schuler 3.