Lady Raiders’ fast start leads to 4-0 win over Purnell Swett

ROCKINGHAM — A fast start helped spur the Richmond Senior High School varsity girls’ soccer team to a 4-0 win over Purnell Swett in the regular season finale.

The Lady Raiders scored two goals in the first 10 minutes, and added a third before the 20-minute mark, against the Lady Rams.

“The girls have had a little more fire under their belts the last three games, coming out and playing well from the first whistle,” said head coach Chris Larsen. “When they do that, we’ve knocked the ball around and gotten some early shots on goal. The last two or three nights, we’ve had some go in early.”

Larsen said the early goals allow the team to settle in and not feel pressure or urgency that they need a goal.

“Seeing the ball go in the net earlier allows them to kind of relax and do what we practiced and do what we know works,” Larsen said.

Richmond’s first goal came in the fifth minute. Junior Kaitlyn Huff delivered a ball into the penalty box, but it ricocheted off the post and fell to senior Jayla McDougald’s feet. McDougald’s first point-blank shot was saved, but she scored the second to give the Lady Raiders the early 1-0 lead.

“Destiny (Barrick), Caroline (Whitley) of whoever was in the center — they were all playing me some really good through balls, which gave me a chance to run down the line and send some balls in and get some action up top,” Huff said. “We were just passing really well and opening up and giving everybody space and chances to work with (the ball).”

McDougald added the second goal in the ninth minute. Off a throw-in, she dribbled past a defender and curled a far post shot around the goalkeeper.

Shortly before the first half mask break in the 20th minute, the Lady Raiders made it 3-0 on a corner kick. Whitley redirected the ball into the net with her first touch as it came down to the ground off the corner. The senior was glad to be able to score in her final regular season game.

“It was sweet because we don’t know if we’re going to be able to play again at home or not,” Whitley said. “So it was good to have the home crowd and everybody got motivated after.”

Richmond’s final goal came near the end of the game in the 72nd minute. After a ball into the box, there was a scrum for the ball and sophomore Karter Walker headed the ball into the net from close range off a bounce.

Now, after finishing the regular season 12-2, the Lady Raiders are set for the playoffs, having clinched the Sandhills Athletic Conference’s automatic bid awarded to the No. 2 team. Seeds, the draw and the bracket will be released this weekend.

With the playoffs, comes an increase in the quality of opponents the Lady Raiders will face. Regardless of opponent, Larsen said the team will need to play its “A game” and minimize the mistakes and lapses in play he’s seen from them at times this season, if they want to make a run.

“I think sometimes we’ve kind of gone through the motions in terms of not hustling for every ball and not laying our body on the line to get that touch,” Larsen said. “We’ve been content with sitting back a little bit. We’ve got to win every ball, we’ve got to get a touch, you’ve got to run until your tongue’s hanging out.

“We’ve gotten better through the year practicing those things,” he continued. “But, the biggest thing is just the girls coming out and giving me 110%. I think that would go a long way, regardless whatever scheme or however we change our style — I think just playing the full 80 minutes and leaving everything out there.”