Girls Soccer Rolls Into Week One

The Lady Eagles (0-1) locked back into a groove in their first week of the season.

Sullivan shook off its rust with a home jamboree on Tuesday, Mar. 18. They first lost 3-2 to Festus, then bounced back to rout St. James 3-0. Both scrimmages lasted 35 minutes each.

The Lady Eagles kicked off their regular season the following Thursday. They fell 4-0 to St. Pius X (1-0) in a tough road battle.

Festus 3, Sullivan 2

Sullivan began their jamboree with a 3-2 loss to Festus. The Lady Tigers had finished with an 8-7-1 record in 2024.

Festus got off to a hot start, drawing first blood three minutes in.

Jada Adams then came in clutch and tied it up for Sullivan. Ava Hayes lobbed a deep pass to Adams, who was boxed in at the right corner. A strong gust of wind came in, and Adams launched a curling kick, sailing it off the post.

But right afterward, the Lady Tigers stole the lead from Sullivan and eventually clawed out a third score.

Goalie Chloe Carson stepped up and kicked her wrestling skills into gear. She swatted Festus’s attempts at the net, giving the Lady Eagles a chance to rally back.

Sullivan cut their deficit to one with under five minutes to go. Ella Kirk attempted a shot that bounced off Festus’s goalkeeper, then Tessa Newman rebounded it for a score.

The Lady Eagles fell short, but Head Coach Matt Wiegers was glad to see them later find their groove. He stated, “Our girls showed some resilience and grit after going down against Festus. We fought back and restored some momentum before ending the match. If we would have had another half, we would have felt good about our chances.”

Sullivan 3, St. James 0

Sullivan fully found its rhythm in their second scrimmage. They handed St. James a clean sheet, blanking them with three goals. The Lady Tigers held a 3-16 record last spring. 

Hayes started the Lady Eagles on top with a dagger to the net. Kara Schmidt assisted her on the chip shot that would set Sullivan’s dominant tone.

Later on, Hayes drove down the field while juking out Lady Tigers. She attempted a power shot that bounced off the right goalpost, but Newman recovered it for a score.

To cap off the shutout, Adams snatched a steal from St. James in their penalty area. She then dished out an assist to Hayes, who hammered the final nail in the coffin.

St. Pius X 4, Sullivan 0

The Lady Eagles fell behind early in their season opener, losing 4-0 to St. Pius X. The Lady Lancers finished last spring with a 19-4 record and placed second in the Class 1 Tournament three years earlier.

Carson made her first career start as Sullivan’s goalie, clutching three saves.

Adams and Hayes each attempted a shot at the net. 

Coach Wiegers believed this test showed Sullivan where they stood to start the year. He explained, “St. Pius is a quality state-caliber program, and it gave us a good measuring stick to see where we stand early in the season. We were able to find some issues we will need to address moving forward, namely our ability to transition out of our defensive end. With a tweak here and there, we can solidify our attack and have our offense put more pressure on the opposing team’s defense.”