The goals the W.F. West girls soccer team has waited for much of the fall began to show themselves Thursday, as the Bearcats scored three goals in the opening 25 minutes of a 3-1 win over Black Hills.
“We’re starting to play better at the right time, going into the playoffs,” WFW coach Kevin Schultz said.
Freshman Ashlen Gruginski started the scoring in the fifth minute, then set up Emily Mallonee in the 10th.
In the 23rd minute — after Hailey Tinsley got one back for the Wolves in the 18th — Gruginski took one of W.F. West’s 13 corner kicks and curled it straight into the net for the Olimpico.
Gruginski also nearly set up Mallonee for a second goal that was ultimately called offsides, and hit the post on another shot.
“She’s really coming into her own, and we’re really excited about that,” Schultz said.
W.F. West outshot Black Hills 15-4, with Staysha Fluetsch and Charlee Nelson both making two saves in a half of work apiece.
The win was just the fourth time all season the Bearcats (8-7, 7-4 2A EvCo) have scored more than one goal, and the first time since Sept. 14.
W.F. West now gets a week off, with one more game left in the regular season: at home against Rochester on Thursday. The Warriors beat the Bearcats 2-1 on Oct. 3.
The Wolves (2-10, 2-8 2A EvCo) will host Centralia on Tuesday in their final home game of the year.
