QND commands second half, ends losing streak against QHS with 2-0 girls soccer victory

QUINCY – Quincy High School swept crosstown rival Quincy Notre Dame in each of the previous two seasons, the only times the Blue Devils had accomplished that in the first 34 years of the girls soccer series.

The Raiders were intent on flipping the script on Friday night when the teams met for the first time this spring at Flinn Stadium.

“I hate losing,” midfielder Sage Stratton said, “so we wanted to cut that little trend off.”

QND did just that, limiting QHS to just two shots (none in the second half) and made an early goal by Addie Flesch and another by Stratton in the 64^th minute stand up for a 2-0 victory to snap a two-game losing streak and improve to 5-2-1.

After an uneven first half, the Raiders were in complete command during the final 40 minutes. They controlled the ball, creating scoring chances and peppering Blue Devils’ keeper Ashley Walbring, who kept the final margin from being greater by coming up with six second-half saves.

“In the first half, they were pressuring us, and we were a little amped up, so we just kept kicking it and kicking it. It was almost like a tennis match,” QND coach Mark Thomas said. “We don’t want that. We want to keep possession. We want to connect. We want to play to the feet. We really went back to simplicity: Get the ball, control it, find someone, link up, connect. We did a really good job of that. That’s when we’re at our best.”

Flesch gave the Raiders, who had managed just one goal combined in back-to-back losses to Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin and Hannibal (Mo.), the lead with just 3 minutes, 9 seconds elapsed.

She dribbled nearly 35 yards down the right sideline to near the end line, only to have her low centering pass blocked. The ball ricocheted back to her, and she collected it, turned and lofted a left-footed shot that hit the inside of the far post and caromed into the net.

“I meant for it to be a cross, you know, but it curved a little bit off the post,” the junior forward said. “There was a lot of energy coming out really quick and getting that in considering the past few games it’s been hard to get the ball in the net, and we’ve had a lot of opportunities.”

QHS nearly tied the game in the 25^th minute when QND didn’t clear the ball from the box, and Teriss Farran hit a right angle shot that hit the crossbar over the outstretched hands of QND keeper Tessa Porter and bounced straight down. That allowed defender Meredith Eversman to clear it from trouble.

Nine minutes later, Cameran Byquist took a through pass at the 20 and appeared to have an open path to the goal, only for defender Bayley Weisenberger to recover and cut her off, shielding the ball with her body as it rolled across the end line, preventing a shot.

“I thought we battled in the first half and gave ourselves an opportunity to be in the game,” said QHS coach Travis Dinkheller, who started just two seniors. “As the game wore on, they gained more possessions, and that gave us fits. We got a little more panicky with the ball. Being a relatively inexperienced team, we’re going to have those moments.”

QND forward Makayla Patton provided a precursor of what was to come by creating three good scoring chances in the opening five minutes of the second half, only to be turned away by Walbring, who had 10 saves.

The Raiders finally created breathing room when Stratton took a pass from Liesel Vincent from the left wing, drove to the middle, pivoted at the top of the box and sent a low shot just inside the right post for her first goal of the season.

“That was a bit of a dagger,” Dinkheller said. “That kind of took the wind out of our sails.”

The Raiders’ defensive foursome of Weisenberg, Eversman, Sierra Thomas and Alena Thomas locked down the Blue Devils for much of the game, especially in the second half. Porter, a freshman, was not forced to make a save in recording the shutout even though the Blue Devils matched the Raiders with five corner kicks.

“Our defenders did a better job in the second half controlling the ball and playing it wide or playing it through the midfield, if need be, finding Addie or Makayla up top,” Mark Thomas said. “(Walbring) made some really nice saves and kept them in the game.”

QND, which outshot the Blue Devils 20-2, will turn around Saturday and travel to Burlington (Iowa) High School. QHS, which lost its third game in a row to fall to 3-4, goes to Galesburg Tuesday for a Western Big 6 Conference match.

For the moment, however, the Raiders were relishing the victory.

“Obviously, you always want to win these rivalry games,” Flesch said. “It sets the tone for the next few games.”