After a tough start to the season in tournament play, Park Hill South reeled off five straight wins to move over .500.
A pair of second half goals pulled the Panthers to a 3-1 win against Liberty on Friday, April 15 in a Suburban Conference Red Division matchup at Park Hill District Soccer Complex in Riverside, Mo. Meghan Jones and Mayleigh Oder connected on the last two goals after Liberty leveled the match at 1-1 late in the first half.
BRYCE MERENESS/Citizen photo
Park Hill South senior Mayleigh Oder, left, battles for position with a Liberty defender Friday, April 15 at Park Hill District Soccer Complex in Riverside, Mo.
Park Hill South was 6-5 overall and 4-0 in league play entering the start of the Blue Springs South Tournament on Tuesday, April 19. The result of the Panthers’ opener was not available at The Citizen’s deadline, but they finish up play Thursday, April 21 and Friday, April 22.
In the first two tournaments of the season, Park Hill South went a combined 1-5.
Against Liberty, Lia Fricke opened the scoring off of a Kate Eischens corner kick in the 31st minute. The Blue Jays equalized with about 1:30 left in the first half on a corner kick of their own.
Oder gave Park Hill South the lead for good two minutes into the second half, taking a pass from Jones and working into the box before firing home from about 17 yards out. Jones scored the insurance goal in the 74th minute, beating Liberty’s goalkeeper to a pass from Oder before finishing into the empty net.
Park Hill South had not allowed a goal in the previous four games.
Park Hill South 2, Truman 0
A late penalty kick helped the Panthers seal a Red Division win Tuesday, April 12 in Independence, Mo.
Holding on to a 1-0 lead for 70 minutes, Park Hill South finally doubled its advantage when Marques Oder’s run into the box forced a yellow card foul from the Patriots goalkeeper. Eischens buried the resulting penalty kick for a 2-0 lead in the 78th minute that held up thanks to a combined shutout from Brooke Montgomery (one save in the first half) and Jessica Perkins (two saves in the second half).
Mayleigh Oder gave Park Hill South a 1-0 lead in the first half with a steal and run that ended with a 30-yard shot that went in off the keeper’s hands.