Girls soccer prepares to ‘be more physical’

CRAIG MCMULLEN Missourian Reporter | @NWMSports

Maryville girls soccer came off its first overtime match of the regular season to face St. Pius X — first in the Class 2 District 8 standings — April 25.

Before the match against Pius, the Spoofhounds defeated Pleasant Hill 2-1 April 20 for their first overtime win since a 6-5 triumph over Savannah May 2, 2022. Midfielders senior Kennedy Kurz and sophomore Makayla Yaple scored Maryville’s goals against the Chicks.

In the match against Pius, the Spoofhounds fell 4-0 against the Warriors. Senior goalkeeper Abby Swink had seven saves in the first half of the match and said she thinks the team needs to be more physical.

“Something that really stuck out to me is that (the Warriors) had a lot of speed up front, and they are more physical,” Swink said. “After this match, it sets into our brains that we have to be more physical. I am excited for the challenge to be more physical and attack more balls.”

The Spoofhounds (8-4) have been dealing with injuries throughout the past couple games, including sophomore forward Addison Weldon, who has been sidelined for the rest of the season with an unspecified knee injury. Assistant coach Courtney Kennedy said she likes her team’s will to fight through the challenges and keep going as the Spoofhounds prepare to enter the final month of the regular season.

“There is not enough time for our players to rest throughout the season, so it seems like it’s injury after injury, but they are so strong and are willing to still play out on the field,” Kennedy said.

The Spoofhounds’ next contest is a rematch against Harrisonville (8-6) April 27. The first match this season between both squads ended with a 5-2 win for the Wildcats in their last match of the Smithville Round Robin Tournament April 6. The Spoofhounds are 2-5 against the Wildcats since April 2016.

Maryville won 4-0 April 22, 2018, in

Maryville and triumphed 3-2 in the team’s final game of the North Kansas City Tournament April 20, 2019.

“We have seen our players thrive in different positions throughout the season,” Kennedy said. “We need to go out and redeem ourselves after playing them in the Round Robin Tournament.”

In the Class 2 standings, the Spoof-

I T Z E N B E R G E R PITZENBERGER P I T Z E N B E R G E R PITZENBERGER

Dr. Dallas Fitzgerald

hounds sit at No. 7. With the loss to Pius (13-3), Maryville is two games behind the first-place Warriors. The Spoofhouds have six regular season games remaining and will be on the road for all but one. After the match against Harrisonville, the Spoofhounds will compete in the Glenwood Shootout April 29 for games against Underwood and Glenwood. As

Next for the teams will be the Spoofhound Invitational April 27 in Maryville. It will be the first meet Maryville has hosted since the Maryville Time Trial March 22.

Stone said it will be a great chance to perform in front of a home crowd before being on the road for the Benton meet May 9 in St. Joseph and the Class 3 District 8 Tournament May 13. “Hosting a meet is always fun,” Stone said. “It means a lot to the team to perform in front of a crowd that shows great support for the team.”

The Spoofhounds will follow it up with the Midland Empire Conference Championship May 2 in Cameron, Missouri.

The ’Cats were on a 12-match winning streak before losing the tightly contested, 4-3 battle against Northeastern (12-8, 5-3 MIAA). Northwest women’s No. 4 singles player freshman Carolina Caetano Reis won a hard fought match against Northeastern’s No. 4 player freshman Roos Karremans in straight sets.

“It was a bad match and a bad day, but I think we’re ready for regionals,” Caetano Reis said April 24 at practice before the selection show. “We’re going to give 100% in the regional tournament, and, if it’s at home, it will be even more important to us. We want to forget that day and, starting today, work toward the next match.”

The Northwest women will match up with the winner of Central Oklahoma and Missouri Western in the NCAA Central Region Tournament May 1. Northwest women’s No. 1 singles player junior Vera Alenicheva, who is also ranked No. 9 nationally, said being able to host the Central Region is going to be fun and something she’s never experienced.

“It’s very special since all the regional tournaments I have the season nears its end, Swink said the key is having a good mindset.

“This late in the season I just try to focus on the positives,” Swink said. “If you let any of the negatives affect you, then you won’t be able to move forward at all. Especially late in the season, the main goal is to move forward onto the next match.”

8 individual events Maryville track and field won at the Mineral Water Invitational April 22.

Bade and Stone said the focus is to go out and get the job done.

“The focus is to keep going out there and competing,” Bade said. “It is higher stakes now, and it has been the same focus since the beginning of the season.”

“My focus for the MEC Championships is to win,” Stone said. “It has been a competitive meet since I have been here. … so I hope it stays that way going forward.” played in were all in Oklahoma because of COVID because everybody had to play together in the same spot,” Alenicheva said.

-VERA ALENICHEVA

JUNIOR NORTHWEST TENNIS

“For my senior year, and my last year, it’s really special to experience a regional tournament at home, and I’m super excited to see how it’s going to be.”

The Bearcat men (14-6, 7-0 MIAA) will look to improve off their last Central Region Tournament run in 2021-22. The Bearcats were a first-round exit after losing 4-0 to Southern Ar- kansas. The ’Cats have rebounded against the Muleriders since defeating Southern 4-2 March 31. Northwest men’s tennis will compete against Southeastern Oklahoma (11-9) in the first round April 29. Northwest men’s No. 2 singles player senior Michael Delebois, who is ranked No. 45 nationally, said being able to be the top seed is an amazing feeling.

“It is very special, and it’s a big advantage to be playing at home against a tough team in Southeastern Oklahoma,” Delebois said. “We’ve already played them at their house, and it was a pretty close match. It was 5-2, but every match was kind of close. It’s going to be good to host this time against them.”

Rosewell said the Bearcats can’t focus on the fact they are the No.1 seed. He said being the top seed is one thing, but winning the tournament is another challenge.

“I think playing at home gives you about a 10% better chance to win because you’re used to the courts,” Rosewell said. “But — both matches — they’re going to be tough matches, so we can’t take anything for granted, and we could get knocked off in both of those matches. It happens all the time. We got to be ready.”