Ozark’s girls’ soccer team already possessed one of the area’s best junior classes. Now, they’ve added a promising rookie class to go with it.
Through five games, the results have been encouraging.
Ozark improved to 5-0 Friday night, knocking off perennial Arkansas state contender Harrison 3-0 behind a pair of goals from junior Maya Davidson and one from freshman Shannon Murphy.
The Tigers, who have no seniors and predominantly juniors and freshmen on their varsity roster, have outscored opponents 33-6 thus far, three of those six goals allowed coming late in a March 22 match against Glendale after the outcome was already in hand.
“We’re all friends so that helps, especially on the field,” said Ozark junior Lily Axtel. “We all get along, so on the field we all click. And we all love the game, so that’s a big part.”
Junior Maya Davidson capitalized on a Harrison (5-2-1 overall) giveaway in the back to break free and convert a scoring opportunity in the 11th minute, putting Ozark up 1-0.
The junior – and Ozark’s leading scorer from last season – struck again in the 47th minute.
After Baily Summers’ corner kick was nearly touched in by Mikayla Putt, Davidson put away the ensuing rebound to give Ozark a 2-0 lead.
“It’s still a work in progress,” said Ozark coach Tom Davidson. “Everything’s starting to come together a little better. We were better tonight than we were last night and that’s how I have to keep looking at it.”
Ozark starts four freshmen and seven juniors. With the newcomers, Ozark’s received a boost in team speed.
“Our forwards are super-fast and their ball-skills are awesome,” said Axtel, a defensive center-mid and Evangel commit. “Communication, we talk really well and pass it and do a good job of keeping possession.”
The best of Ozark’s rookies may be midfielder Jaydn Easley, who danced through a trio of defenders in the 57th minute to set up fellow freshman Shannon Murphy for a goal that pushed Ozark’s lead to 3-0.
“That’s the thing about this team: it’s not just one or two people,” Tom Davidson said. “We’ve got several finishers. We don’t have to rely on just one person to do all of our scoring. It can come from a lot of different places.”
Ozark had a heavy advantage in possession – and shots – in the match.
Maya Davidson, and others on Ozark, had more chances to score but were turned away by solid play from Harrison freshman goalkeeper Makayla Campbell.
“I thought (Harrison’s) goalkeeper was fantastic,” Tom Davidson said. “She did a great job and took away some potential goals.”
On the other end, Ozark goalkeeper Ally Barb helped the Tigers record their second shutout in as many days.
In what has become a regular series between the two schools, it was Ozark’s first victory over Harrison since 2012.
The teams tied 2-2 last year in Harrison, and the Goblins won 8-4 in Ozark in 2014 on their way to eventually claiming the Arkansas 5A State Championship.
Friday marked Harrison’s second loss to a Springfield-area team this week, as the Goblins fell 4-1 at home to Kickapoo on Monday.
Ozark will hit the road Saturday for its third game in three days. The Tigers head to St. Louis to compete in the 15th annual Parkway College Showcase and will face Notre Dame (St. Louis) High School.
Kickapoo, Nixa, Lebanon, Republic and Glendale are the other local teams playing in the event Saturday.
