By Marisa Dawson
Bennington’s girls soccer team continued its start to the spring season with a pair of hard-fought non-conference matches, falling just short against a strong Norris squad before bouncing back with a well-earned overtime victory over Columbus.
The Badgers hosted Norris on Thursday, March 26. Despite generating significant pressure, Bennington came up on the short end of a 2-1 decision.
Freshman Aliya Molina (pictured below) scored Bennington’s goal. The Badgers fired off 8 shot attempts. Bennington’s goalkeeping duties were shared among three keepers, freshman Rilynn Mercer, senior Norah Haley, and senior Mia Korth, as the team rotated in the net.
Head Coach Ed Anibal acknowledged the challenge afterward, noting the even nature of the contest. “One thing we can count on with this team is a good fight,” Anibal said. “These players are motivated and hard working.”
He highlighted defensive strengths and midfield transition as bright spots. “Defensively we kept our formation and pressured Norris. Our transition to midfield and eventually our forwards was much better than in previous games,” the coach added. “If I were to identify one area that they were better than us, they closed our players down much faster when we had possession.”
Anibal emphasized that the conference offers no easy games. “We play in the toughest conference in the state. Every game we play is a battle and there are not any ‘easy’ games. There is no room for complacency and last night’s game was no different. Norris has always been a high powered team and we know what to expect from them. I thought the game was pretty evenly matched with equal opportunities for both.”
The team felt the sting of the loss but showed resilience. “The girls were a little down [Thursday] night after the loss but they will bounce back quickly,” Anibal said. “I’m very proud of all of these players and look forward to a successful season.”
Following the game, he added, “They know we face a tough Columbus team on Saturday and will take what we learned in the previous games and make the right adjustments.” They did just that to deliver a gritty comeback performance, earning a 3-2 overtime victory.
The Badgers jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead with goals from junior Lucy Lampe and sophomore Makenna O’Connor (pictured below). Columbus battled back to tie the match at 2-2 by the end of regulation, forcing extra time. Senior Autumn Christiansen netted the golden goal, assisted by Makenna O’Connor, in the first overtime period to secure the win for Bennington.
Bennington recorded 13 shots in the contest. Freshman Rilynn Mercer handled the bulk of the minutes in net for the Badgers.
Anibal pointed to ongoing defensive solidity as a foundation, while identifying areas for growth after the Norris game. “Bennington girls soccer has always been very solid defensively. We have a very talented group of players which is the engine behind the machine,” he said. “We will continue to work on ways to transition from defense to offense giving ourselves more opportunities to score.”
He expressed confidence in the group’s ability to mesh quickly. “These players all play for different area club teams who all have different coaching and playing styles,” he said. “We are trying to take all of the talent we have and figure out ways to create a cohesive unit for the next few months. We do not lack in confidence, just team execution.”
Looking ahead, the senior class is stepping up to maintain momentum. “Our Senior class is fantastic and positive. I know they are already planning team bonding activities to keep this group motivated and ready to play,” Anibal noted. “On to the next game. We encourage players to control what they can control. We know we are a talented team and just need to get more comfortable playing together.”
With the overtime win, Bennington improved to 3-2 overall. The Badgers will look to build on their defensive strengths and sharpen their attacking transitions as the season continues in one of Nebraska’s most competitive conferences.
