Whiteland dominated from start to finish and rolled past Mooresville 5-0 in a key Mid-State Conference girls soccer showdown Wednesday in Whiteland.
The host Warriors outshot Mooresville 19-4 overall, including 14-1 on goal, and pulled even with the Pioneers in the loss column near the top of the conference.
“We knew we had to battle against this team. They’re known for fighting every minute of the game,” Whiteland coach Abby Gross said. “My girls were ready for it, they were mentally prepared and physically prepared and this is a game they really wanted.”
Whiteland (6-3-1, 3-1) took the action to Mooresville from the opening kick. Although it took the Warriors almost 30 minutes to finally break through with a goal, they spent most of the game on the Pioneers’ side of the field.
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Click here to purchase photos from this galleryWhiteland finally got the only goal it would need when Madi Bartak scored in the 30th minute for a 1-0 lead. Freshman Stephanie Brady scored seven minutes later to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead at the half.
“We knew (Mooresville) was sitting on top of the conference with four wins and we knew we had to come out with our strongest game,” Gross said. “They all went out there and executed. I couldn’t be more proud of the way they played.”
Whiteland didn’t sit on its lead. The Warriors added a third goal in the 58th minute when Emily Williams fired a shot from 20 yards out that bounced off the hands of Mooresville goalie Carly Even and into the net. Williams and Madison Hill added goals in the final 10 minutes.
Mooresville (5-6, 4-1 MSC) never had a chance to get back into the game. The Pioneers managed just four shots — all in the second half — and their one shot on goal was right at Whiteland keeper Jenny Gonzalez for an easy save.
“We were able to keep it on their half of the field almost the entire game, which was really good,” Gross said. “We really utilized our center mids to play to the outside to get those opportunities to score. We’ve talked a lot about finishing before the game, and this is a team that you have to finish every chance you get.
“The girls played so well out there. And in terms of team chemistry, it was some of the best soccer I’ve seen them play, if not the best game I’ve seen them play all year.”
Whiteland returns to action Saturday when it hosts Shelbyville.
