Early road test
Lady SoccerCats blank HVA 2-0
The 2023 high school girls soccer season is just over two weeks old, and already, Oak Ridge High School has battled more than its share of adversity.
The Lady Wildcats, however, passed a couple of tough road tests last week as they made a pair of trips to Northwest Knox County.
On Thursday night, Oak Ridge (3-0-1) shut out Hardin Valley Academy, 2-0. It was only the Lady Wildcats’ second victory over the Lady Hawks in a decade.
“That was a big win for us,” ORHS Coach Donnie Green said. “Hardin Valley is not used to Oak Ridge beating them. It’s only happened twice in 10 years, and we had some injuries coming in and Hardin Valley was really physical.
“They got three yellow cards.”
Freshman goalkeeper Marleigh Frazier earned her second clean sheet in as many games as she and the Lady Wildcats’ back line kept HVA at bay all night. And it was one of Oak Ridge’s wounded warriors who kept one of the area’s most-potent offensive attacks off the scoreboard.
“Abbey Pressley, my right back, has an injured knee and I wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to play,” Green said. “She told me that she didn’t know if she was going to be able to go. She’s playing at about 70 percent right now and she only has one strong leg.
“I told her to give me about five minutes, and I told her the same thing in the second half to give me as many minutes as she could.”
Pressley, a sophomore, did just that as she played through the pain because she knew her side needed her in the match.
“This was all about heart,” Green said. “She and the rest of our team played with heart.
“This game showed that heart always beats talent. Our whole team had heart, but she got the game ball.”
Hayven Laurendine and Brooklyn Henderson provided the offense for the Lady Wildcats. Laurendine’s marker was assisted by Aniya Fisher, while Henderson’s tally was unassisted.
Oak Ridge opened the week with a 1-0 victory over the host Lady Rams at Grace Christian Academy on Tuesday, Aug. 22.
That match presented its own unique challenge for the Lady Wildcats, and Green knew it would because he was once GCA’s head coach.
“When I coached there, I always got some home cooking because that field is only 53 yards wide, and I told the girls that,” Green said. “And we really struggled on that field.”
The Lady Wildcats outshot the Lady Rams, 23-5, but scored just once on Laurendine’s first marker of the new campaign.
“We had 23 shots on goal and they had five,” Green said. “But we pounded and pounded.
“We hit the posts, we hit the crossbar and we hit their keeper.”
Oak Ridge returned home Tuesday when it hosted Seymour. Results were not available.
The Lady Wildcats travel to McMinn County Thursday. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m.