H.S. SOCCER: USJ pulls away to beat Jackson Christian

The true test of a quality team is how that team responds to adversity.

The University School of Jackson girls’ soccer team had to respond after giving up an opening goal. The Lady Bruins did that with eight goals of their own to beat Jackson Christian 8-1 at Ronnie Fowler Field on Monday.

“This was a big game with a lot of nerves early,” USJ coach Paul Conway said. “We knew that they would be direct, and they got a goal early. The girls didn’t lose their head and knew they were capable of performing better. They took control of what was going on.”

Now for Jackson Christian (3-2), its true test will be how the team plays the next couple of weeks after losing to its rival.

The Lady Eagles scored seven minutes into the match as Emily Cisco put away a corner kick that was bounding around the box for the 1-0 lead.

But it didn’t take USJ (3-2) much time to respond. Junior Maddy Puzdrakiewicz scored the tying goal on a ball that went through the 18-yard box from sophomore Annabelle Reese.

The confidence continued to build from there for USJ. The Lady Bruins worked to spread the field and work the ball through the Jackson Christian midfield and defense.

With 12 minutes remaining in the first half, USJ senior Addison Dunn scored her first of three goals off of an Anna Pearson free kick to give the Lady Bruins the 2-1 advantage.

“We knew that they were strong on set pieces, and we couldn’t let them get any more,” Dunn said. “Our outside backs did a good job of stopping them.”

The first half mirrored much of what USJ has played like in the first two weeks of the season. The Lady Bruins opened the season with two losses to Division II-AA competition, but Monday night’s win over Jackson Christian was a third win in a row for a team with goals set to get back to the state tournament.

“That is why we play a tough schedule early,” Conway said. “We learned from our first two games. Briarcrest is a great team, and we under-performed against a good team in Hutchison.”

If the second half is any indication of what is to come, the Lady Bruins have a chance to be something special.

USJ scored six more goals on Jackson Christian in the second half, as the Lady Bruins outshot them 11-1 with shots on goal.

Junior Abbey Fleming got into the scoring mix in the second half on her way to finishing with two goals and one assist.

Fleming’s first goal came four minutes into the second half off of a throw in from junior Nathalie Sullivan, and the Lady Bruins took a 3-1 lead that lasted until the midway point of the second half.

It was in the final 20 minutes that things got out of hand. Sophomore Holeh Heydari started the stretch of five goals in the final 20 minutes, and Dunn (two goals), Fleming and freshman Caroline Williams finished out the scoring.

“It felt good to beat them this year because the tie last year really stunk,” Dunn said. “This year, we knew that they were really good, and we wanted to come over here and be respectful.

“I think we played one of our best games of the year tonight, and we played up to our potential.”

Michael Odom, 425-9754