St. Clairsville blanks Weir High 4-0
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE - There's usually one opponent on a team's schedule that literally gives it fits. For the St. Clairsville girls' soccer team, that team would be Weir.
Elizabeth Morgan scored twice and Kiya Kyer extended her program record shutout total Thursday night in a 4-0 whitewashing of the visiting Red Riders on the artificial pitch inside Red Devil Stadium.
"We haven't beaten them since 2021," St. Clairsville head coach Wes Stoner said. "They might have low numbers this year, but they aren't low on talent. This was a good win for us."
Morgan netted the first two goals and Kyer only had to make two saves to run her career shutout mark to 26.
"Kiya did what she's been doing for three years so far," Stoner said. "She wasn't called upon much tonight, but the two times she was she responded."
The lack of her seeing the ball is a result of the defense played by the Red Devils.
"That's due to the play of our back four," Stoner advised. "Addie Middleton-Mobley, Isabelle Morgan, McKenna Daniels and Kayla Shaffer play dynamic defense. They don't allow many shots"
Elizabeth Morgan dribbled her way around two Weir defenders before nudging the ball ahead with her right foot and then watched it roll into the net late in the 13th minute for a 1-0 lead, and what turned out to be the only goal the Red Devils would need.
The lead remained that way until early in the 53rd minute when the junior let loose a laser that zipped past Weir goalkeeper Bella Weber before tickling the twine for a 2-0 reading.
Less than a minute later, Emma Gasber poked the ball just inside the post to Weber's left, making it 3-0. Molly Schultz logged the assist.
Ashlynn Lednik, who missed most of last season with a knee injury that required surgery, capped the scoring.
"Sometimes it's that second one (goal) that relaxes everyone," Stoner added. "We started to kind of find it after that."
If it weren't for Weber's play between the pipes, the outcome could've been a lot worse. She was credited with 10 saves.
"Their goalie had great hands. She played well, but we should've had a couple more goals," Stoner said. "We moved the ball great and defended great. I can't ask for much more than that."
Weir head coach Jeremy Angelo knew coming in that winning on the road against St. Clairsville would be a tall task.
"This was our first game. We lost five starters from last year so once again we've got a relatively new team," he said. "Numbers are down again but we're working through it. This is one of those games where we knew before the season that this game would be a tough one. We knew St. Clairsville was young the past couple of years and they'd be ready."
The Red Devils take to the road Saturday when they visit Maysville.