QND girls soccer team finding rhythm and confidence at right time

QUINCY — Avery Keck senses it. So do her Quincy Notre Dame girls soccer teammates.

Confidence is rising as the Raiders’ cohesiveness grows.

“We’re just really working as a team together and we’re all working hard,” said Keck, the junior midfielder who scored two goals in Tuesday’s 8-1 whitewashing of previously undefeated Burlington (Iowa). “We’re playing great right now.”

It goes back to a six-game struggle offensively.

The Raiders (10-1-3) opened the season with three straight victories before enduring three consecutive ties in which they scored just one goal. Then came a 1-0 victory over Quincy High School in which the winning goal wasn’t scored until six minutes remained in regulation and a 2-0 victory over Hannibal.

Tack on a 2-0 loss at Orchard Farms in St. Charles, Mo., and it became obvious something wasn’t lining up.

“We have to learn from that,” Keck said. “We learned from those three ties. We learned from our struggles. We all want to win. We’re all competitive.

“After that, we knew we just had to keep working. Eventually, it clicked and you can see it in our play.”

The Grayhounds (7-1) came into Tuesday’s game having allowed just six goals all season, but the Raiders capitalized early and built a 5-0 lead by halftime.

Less than five minutes into the game, Keck used a flip throw-in from the left sideline to launch the ball into the box, and Annie Eaton headed a shot past the goalkeeper for a 1-0 lead. Three minutes later, Keck’s twin sister, Anna, hit a rocket into the upper corner for a 2-0 advantage.

Avery Keck and Lia Quintero scored the final three goals of the half, and Keck tucked a shot inside the right side of the net seven minutes into the second half for a 6-0 lead. Quintero completed the hat trick by punching in a rebound to make it 7-0 and invoke the mercy rule.

Ella Hummel scored the Raiders’ final goal, while the Grayhounds scored late on a penalty kick.

“We definitely have connected so much more,” Keck said. “It’s great as a team to see that, and we’re playing so much more as a team right now.”