The weather conditions were downright frigid, but the Nixa High School girls’ soccer team started its 2016 campaign on fire, scoring early and often in a 10-0 home victory over Central on Thursday night.
Bailey Hunsicker scored 14 seconds into the match to begin the Nixa rout. Sophomore Chloe Cash posted a hat trick, with Hunsicker, Alex Johnson and freshman Madisyn Pritchett adding two goals apiece. Pritchett's second goal came in the 62nd – a minute after her first one – to end the match on the mercy rule.
“They just came out and were fired up,” Nixa coach Evan Palmer said about his group. “When you score in the first 10 or 11 seconds, that’s pretty amazing. At times, we were probably a little too aggressive and needed to pull back just a little bit, but it’s easier to do that than to get (more) aggressive. We’ll take that."
Nixa scored five goals in each half, amid a wind chill in the 30s. With the wind at their back in the first half, the Eagles utilized a more direct style that exploited the middle of the field. In the second half, Nixa switched to its traditional possession-based style and attacked Central from the left side.
“That’s what we’ve been working on,” Palmer said. “We go a little more where we play direct, and we can also get some width, too. It’s nice to see we can do a couple of different things.
“(First half), we wanted to get on top of them and put the pressure on them. So we put a girl up top. It was a little more direct that way, but either way it can be effective. It kind of depends what team we’re playing on a given day.”
After Hunsicker’s early goal, Nixa scored three more times between the 13th and 19th minute on goals from Dayley Townsend and two by Cash. Townsend’s goal was a rope from about 25 yards out.
Johnson scored to close the first half to make it 5-0, then started the second half for Nixa by notching her second goal.
The victory continued Nixa’s recent dominance against Central. In four meetings since 2014, Nixa has beaten Central by a combined margin of 28-0, including 7-0 in the sectional round last year.
The two may meet again in the playoffs this year, although Nixa must first advance from a district group that includes improved Ozark and Kickapoo teams, in addition to a Joplin squad that went .500 through the regular season last year.
Nixa, which was without injured starters Katelynn Pittser and Jena Cauble against Central, has averaged 20 wins since 2011 and has won three straight district championships
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“We have a nice combination of players,” Palmer said. “We just have to stay together, stay as one, stay as a team. If we can keep our relationships good and just play, we should be fine. There are some teams out there that will give us fits. But that’s what it’s all about: facing good competition and whoever comes out of that district will be really tested and hopefully have a chance to move on pretty far in the playoffs.”
Nixa 10, Central 0
Central 0 0 — 0
Nixa 5 5 — 10
First half
Nixa – Bailey Hunsicker, assisted by Alex Johnson
Nixa – Daley Townsend, unassisted
Nixa – Chloe Cash, assisted by Daley Townsend
Nixa – Chloe Cash, assisted by Alex Johnson
Nixa – Alex Johnson, assisted by Chloe Cash
Second half
Nixa – Alex Johnson, assisted by Bailey Hunsicker
Nixa – Bailey Hunsicker, assisted by Maycie Palmer
Nixa – Chloe Cash, assisted by Erin Crawford
Nixa – Madisyn Pritchett, unassisted
Nixa – Madisyn Pritchett, unassisted
Goals: Cash (3), Johnson (2), Pritchett (2), Hunsicker (2), Townsend
Assists: Johnson (2), Townsend, Cash, Hunsicker, Palmer, Crawford
