MADISON — The Hall-Dale girls soccer team has all but dominated much of the competition in the Mountain Valley Conference this season. The result in Tuesday’s contest against Madison was no different.
Tied 1–1 at halftime, Hall-Dale scored three goals in the second half — two off the foot of sophomore Iris Ireland — to grab an important 4-2 victory.
The victory was the seventh straight for the Bulldogs (10-1-0), who entered the match ranked third in C South Heal points.
“We work so hard during practice, we don’t ever let up,” Ireland said. “These wins, they feel great, because they wouldn’t happen without everyone contributing.”
Madison, which had its five-game unbeaten streak end, fell to 8-3-0.
Hall-Dale set the tone early, when K.K. Wills slipped a shot past Madison goalie Susannah Curtis for a 1-0 lead. Madison responded nine minutes later, when Grace Linkletter took advantage of a rebound in front of the Hall-Dale net and nailed it home to make it a 1-1 game.
“(Madison’s) counter-attack was dangerous,” Hall-Dale coach Guy Cousins said. “Their speed and their touch on the ball really challenged us significantly. (The key) was the balance of a good attack and then always being ready for that counter.”
Depth was a factor in the game, and it began to show in the second half, as Hall-Dale was able to keep legs fresh with five reserves. Madison had no reserves, meaning all 11 players on the field played all 80 minutes.
“I’m incredibly proud of what this team has done,” Madison coach Savanna Lawrence said. “We’ve played maybe two games with 12 girls, so that’s one sub. We’re just strong with 11 (players), and that’s what I try to encourage them in, ‘This is it, let’s work as hard as we can.’ They work very hard and I’m very proud.”
“(Madison) is a really amazing team,” Cousins added. “Eleven players, playing with that much heart for 80 minutes, no subs, they didn’t quit at all, they played to the last second. Savanna has just done an amazing job with that team.”
Madison took the lead to begin the second half, when Emily Edgerly raced to a breakaway, and deked left before going right in front of Hall-Dale goalkeeper Bethany Ives, leaving an open shot in the right corner of the net for a goal and a 2-1 advantage.
“(Edgerly) is a strong player, she has a great physique for soccer,” Lawrence said. “When she turns on that second gear, when she gets that offensive play and she wants it, she will beat anybody. She’ll work harder than anybody, stretch those legs out and get there.”
But it was all Hall-Dale from there. Less than four minutes after Edgerly scored, Ireland netted the first of her two goals, taking a pass from Rita Benoit in front of the net to tie the game at 2-2.
“I knew I was in front of the goal, and I didn’t want to do an overpowerful kick, because that happens a lot with me,” Ireland said. “I just saw an opportunity and I took it.”
Two minutes after Ireland’s goal, Madisyn Smith found the back of the net to give the Bulldogs the 3-2 lead.
Ireland finished the scoring with 11 minutes left in the match, knocking a knuckleball past Curtis for the final 4-2 score.
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